Section 6. Maintaining Communication
Staying informed and able to communicate with first responders  and others in an emergency will help protect the health and safety of your family and farm. Have a battery-powered and/or hand-cranked radio, as well as a flashlight, and extra fresh batteries, available for use in case of power failure. A land-line telephone that does not require electricity should be accessible, as well as a cell phone. Keep backup batteries or a crank charging system for cell phones on-hand, or have a car charger that can draw from the vehicle's battery. Remember to rotate your backup stock of batteries regularly, to be sure they will work when you need them. |
Farm Security
Access to Emergency Information
 Do employees and family members know where emergency telephone numbers are located? Include emergency contact numbers for yourself as well as neighbors or employees who might assist emergency responders if the need arises. Do employees and family members know how to report an emergency on landline phones or cell phones? A basic set of instructions/information should be posted next to the emergency contact numbers so that employees and family members know how to report an emergency on a landline or a cell phone. These instructions should include the official street address of the farm, the location of the nearest farm map, or the name of the business or farmer the farm map is filed under at the local emergency responders' office. Post a list of emergency telephone numbers near every telephone in a language understood by all personnel. This list should include all emergency personnel, animal and environmental agencies, and help networks. |