DAR (Disaster Assessment and Recovery) Program Specialist, Disaster District 11

DAR (Disaster Assessment and Recovery) Program Specialist, Disaster District 11

Texas A&M Agri Life Extension Service

Disaster Resilience & Recovery

Proposed Minimum Salary Commensurate

Job Location:

Waco, Texas

Job Type: Staff

The Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) unit of Texas A&M Agri Life Extension Service plays a vital role in supporting communities across all 254 Texas counties as they prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. As an integral part of the Texas A&M System's Keeping Texas Prepared initiative and the National Extension Disaster Education Network, DAR is at the forefront of disaster education and community resilience.

Working with DAR means being part of a collaborative and mission-driven team dedicated to empowering Texans through credible, research-based information and hands-on assistance. Our specialists lead damage assessments, coordinate emergency animal sheltering, provide critical resources, and deliver educational workshops on disaster preparedness and recovery, all while partnering directly with local, state, and national agencies during times of need.

If you are passionate about public service, community education, and making a difference when Texans need it most, consider joining DAR. Together, we help individuals, families, and entire communities reduce risks, recover quickly, and build resilience for the future.

The Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) Program Specialist, under general supervision, implements and plans educational programs and activities in assigned program areas. Supports and assists in the implementation of educational programs and activities in program areas for which other staff members have assigned leadership responsibilities.

Responsibilities:

• Assists appropriate Extension program area committees in developing specific plans to reach annual and/or long-range goals.
• Assumes leadership responsibility in implementing planned educational programs and activities in emergency management and disaster response/recovery/mitigation/preparedness.
• Supports and assists in the implementation of educational programs and activities for which other staff members have assigned leadership responsibilities.
• Uses a variety of appropriate educational methods, techniques, activities, and materials in conducting educational programs.
• Identifies, recruits, and trains local volunteers enabling them to effectively perform their duties in committees, clubs, and organizations.
• Works with and supports Extension-sponsored groups toward achieving increased participation and strengthening programs.
• Uses appropriate evaluation techniques to determine the progress of program activities in reaching desired objectives and uses evaluation findings and target audience participant suggestions in making program revisions.
• Maintains appropriate communications with county, district, state and administrative staffs to facilitate full understanding of the county program.

Specific Duties:

• Leads educational outreach associated with individual, business, and community emergency preparedness, recovery, wildfire mitigation and resiliency.
• Collaborates with other agencies within the Texas A&M University System with training efforts on responding to emergencies, identifying future sites for debris management and temporary housing, and other needs as identified.
• Establishes status of County Animal Issue Committees and related plans to ensure each county served has functioning Animal Issues Committees and plans.
• Inventories local VOAD/COAD and existing long-term recovery committees work in each county served and establishes and maintains working relationship with each.
• Establishes and maintains animal supply point operations in support of local or state response efforts.
• Coordinates with County Extension Agent Liaisons to maintain daily contact with local elected officials during recovery operations.
• Serves as a surge force that deploys into the disaster theater for response as well as during recovery operations in support of Texas Division of Emergency Management. Such deployments will require overnight travel that may last several days or weeks at a time.
• Completes preliminary damage assessments of agricultural operations and infrastructure.
• Teams with Texas Division of Emergency Management and local jurisdictions/entities in completion of preliminary damage assessments (public assistance and individual assistance), development and submission of requests for public assistance.
• Completes site inspections of Public Assistance Program Projects of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
• Conducts site inspections and other related duties associated with the General Land Office of Texas disaster recovery housing program.
• Is required to serve multiple counties with extensive travel within assigned programming area, as well as other assigned locations.
• Is willing to deploy to disaster areas for an undetermined amount of time in support of state or federal operations.
• Is willing to work and travel…