Bad weather or other disasters can create havoc on any farm. However, if you plan for the unexpected, it will help you and those who are trying to help you.

Emily Wilmes, University of Minnesota Extension, offered several suggestions, noting that creating an emergency action plan for your farm might seem like a time-wasting task, but it could save lives if the unexpected does happen.

"Take the time to get together with everyone who works on your farm and start planning," she said. "Creating an emergency plan doesn't have to be complicated. Having just a few key pieces of information can help you create a quick and simple plan."

She offers five steps to creating a plan for your farm.

Create an emergency action plan before you need one

1. Determine what kind of plans you need. In Minnesota, farmers should consider having emergency plans in place for tornadoes, floods, severe snowstorms, and fires. Also, know what alert plans are in place for your community, and figure out the best way to alert one another in order to set your plan into action.

2. Create a map of your entire farm site. Include all buildings and structures as well as access routes. Access routes include roads, lanes, and driveways to the farm site itself as well as different areas of the farm. Other items that are important to include are all fences and gates, locations of all livestock, locations of all hazardous substances, and locations of shut-offs for electricity, water, and other utilities.

3. Make lists. Make a full list of your farm inventory. Include all livestock on the farm, listing species and number of each species. Also include crop types, number of acres, any whatever crops you have stored on the farm. All machinery and equipment, including serial numbers, should be on the list as well. Your inventory should also include hazardous substances such as fuel, fertilizer, and medicines.

You should also make an emergency contact list. Include phone numbers for your vet, county emergency management, Extension office and your insurance agent.

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One final list to make is all of the businesses that supply services to or for your farm. Include your milk processor, feed and fuel delivery, and anyone else who is on the farm regularly and should be alerted after something happens on the farm.

1. Understand your current position. Contact your insurance agent and review your coverage for emergency and disaster situations. Check what you have for supplies you may need in an emergency, such as tools, fire extinguishers, and generators.  Determine what areas you can utilize in an emergency situation for livestock and equipment relocation. This is also a time to review buildings for any structural compromises or loose materials. Repairing weak areas or cleaning up unused materials laying around could help keep animals and people safe during adverse weather conditions. 

2. Create an action plan. Consider two scenarios to review: one of sheltering in place and another of evacuation. If are going to be sheltering in place, plan for what to do if resources are cut off. Do you have backup power? Backup fuel? What will you do if an access route gets blocked? Determine what actions will need to be taken and who will need to be contacted if this happens.

When creating an evacuation plan, look at the map you created. What is the best escape for animals? Which gates need to be opened? What happens if an identified route is blocked? Also consider where your hazardous materials are stored. If you are dealing with a fire, anything that is potentially explosive should be stored as far away from animals as possible. If you are able to gain access to these materials before they are reached, where should you move them to? Along with your animals, make a plan for your people. Where is a safe place to take shelter? Where should they evacuate to? Make sure these are made clear to everyone working on the farm so that everyone stays safe.

The important thing when making an emergency action plan is to make sure everyone is involved. Keeping everyone informed and assigning tasks will ensure that the plan is put into action promptly and that every component of the plan is completed. Also, take the time to review your plan periodically. Keeping things up to date will help avoid confusion if the plan ever needs to be used.