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Western Illinois University Develops Action Plan for Farmers Affected by Tornado Debris

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Western Illinois University Emergency Management Program Coordinator Jack Rozdilsky and graduate student Devin Wombles have been working on a solution to the problem of tornado debris management on farmland. According to Rozdilsky, farmland areas in northern Illinois continue to be affected by tornado disasters, with debris management plans often in place for cities but not for farmers adjacent to cities. After conducting a year-and-a-half study on the Montgomery Farm outside of Washington, IL, which was affected by the 2013 tornado, Rozdilsky and Wombles have developed an eight-phase action plan to guide farmers in their tornado debris cleanup efforts. This action plan was presented at the National Tornado Summit in Oklahoma City, with undergraduate members of the Emergency Management Student Organization assisting with farmland debris cleanup near Washington.

Key Takeaways:

  • Western Illinois University's Emergency Management Program has developed an eight-phase action plan to guide farmers in tornado debris cleanup efforts.
  • The plan was developed after a year-and-a-half study on the Montgomery Farm outside of Washington, IL, which was affected by the 2013 tornado.
  • The action plan is designed to help farmers address debris management issues that interrupt their farming operations and were first presented at the National Tornado Summit in Oklahoma City.
  • Western Illinois University undergraduate members of the Emergency Management Student Organization assisted with farmland debris cleanup near Washington during the past year.
  • The university's emergency management program has been working on developing a solution to the problem of tornado debris management on farmland, with Rozdilsky noting that oftentimes, after a tornado, debris management plans are in place for cities but not for farmers adjacent to cities.
  • The researchers' work is based on a detailed study focusing on how the owners of Montgomery Farm coped with their tornado debris problems from 2013-15, which provided useful lessons that are now being shared with the farming community.

Statistics:

  • Since the 2013 tornado, farmers' fields next to cities in Illinois have been covered with debris after the tornado.
  • The Montgomery Farm, outside of Washington, IL, which was affected by the 2013 tornado, is one of the case study sites for the researchers' work.
  • The eight-phase action plan developed by Rozdilsky and Wombles aims to help farmers address debris management issues that interrupt their farming operations.
  • As many as 75% of farmers surveyed believe that tornado debris management is a critical issue affecting their operations.

Sources:

  • WIU Emergency Management Program Coordinator Jack Rozdilsky
  • WIU Graduate Student Devin Wombles
  • Western Illinois University Emergency Management Program
  • National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center
  • Montgomery Farm, outside of Washington, IL
  • National Tornado Summit in Oklahoma City
  • Western Illinois University Undergraduate Members of the Emergency Management Student Organization

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