Missoula presenters urge livestock owners to plan evacuations, use Smart911 and MSU Extension worksheet

Natalie Sullivan, MSU Extension agent for Missoula County covering agriculture, equine and livestock, and Nick Holloway, deputy DES coordinator at the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management, told a community audience that livestock owners should prepare evacuation and shelter-in-place plans, assemble animal emergency kits and register safety information with Smart911.

Sullivan, who described the MSU Extension five-page farm emergency-preparedness worksheet and a related Missoula County web resource, said the worksheet is intended to help owners communicate details about gates, feed, water and animal identification to neighbors or responders if the owner is absent. "One of the more exciting things I've found out about these worksheets is they do have the potential to give you insurance premium discount," Sullivan said, citing conversations with multiple insurance agencies. She walked through the worksheet pages — likely emergencies, contact lists and GPS coordinates; alternative water sources;…