Self-Assessment Checklist and Emergency Response Procedures

This site describes many of the emergencies that could potentially affect your farm, and ways to prevent, prepare for and respond to these emergencies.

To help you develop your emergency response procedures, fill in the questionnaires at My Farm. Begin with the Self-Assessment Checklist. The Self-Assemsent Checklist will help you think through potential hazards around your farm. The checklist is most useful if it is completed before you write your emergency response procedures, as it will help you identify the specific risks associated with your farm.

Complete the self-assessment checklist

Take any corrective action identified when completing the checklist

Read the points to consider for the various hazards

Fill in the template for your response procedure found within each hazard section

Fill in the contact lists, charts, inventories, etc.

Check the online resource regularly for new templates and information!

What to do With Your Completed Plan

Assess

Use the self-assessment checklist to cover all areas to consider;
Read through each module and add your own farm’s unique assets; and
Familiarise yourself with the various emergency responses. Each emergency type has its own considerations!

Document

Write down essential contact information and the description and location of production facilities, animals and equipment;
Outline the basic procedures to follow during an emergency;
Put a big label on your plan binder so that it is clearly identified; and
Store an electronic version on a “cloud” server or document sharing service such as Dropbox, SkyDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, or OneDrive.

Communicate

Write it down or print it out in hard copy;
Make it quickly and easily accessible;
Have multiple hard copies of the plan located in various locations around the farm; and
Ensure that other family members and employees know where to find the plan and how to use it .

Start Preparing: Collection of Information

When dealing with emergencies, there are several components that remain the same regardless of the event. This section will cover things to consider for all event types, with a template for emergency contact information and general emergency response. The template should be revised to reflect your farm operation and premises.

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Review the checklist and your emergency procedures periodically, to keep on top of changes and maintain practices. Update your plan at least annually or when a significant change occurs in the farming operation.