About the Disaster Assessment and Recovery unit
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Disaster Assessment Recovery unit, DAR, provides statewide natural disaster preparedness and educational programming for counties and local governments. The agency has played a vital role during past disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, the Panhandle and West Texas wildfires, and COVID-19 delivering critical medical needs statewide.
The DAR unit supports local governments, agencies and organizations to prepare and recover from complex disasters by providing both education and outreach. DAR can rapidly respond during times of need.
How has the DAR unit served Texans?
Delivered more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccines to medical facilities, correctional facilities and regional staging areas for further distribution across Texas.
Supported delivery of 3.57 million COVID-19 test kits to school districts, nursing homes, city and county governments, universities, youth camps and 18 food processing facilities.
Delivered 8,700 COVID-19 test kits and PPE to high-risk individuals at long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and medical offices.
Conducted tornado assessments in Red River, Lamar and Morris counties, which included 110,489 linear feet of fence damage and five agricultural structures.
In June 2023 alone, deployed in multiple counties affected by severe weather and tornados in the Panhandle, Rolling Plains and East Texas.
Deployed to the Eastland Wildfire Complex and Chalk Mountain Fire in Somervell County, sheltering 336 head of livestock, 26 dogs and 18 cats. They coordinated distribution of 1,070 round bales, 314 square bales and more than 2,000 sacks of livestock feed.
Worked with the Texas A&M University VET Med team to provide support for 81 canines working with 22 urban search and rescue teams after Hurricane Ian. The team provided 24-hour continuous operations as the canines worked through the rubble and debris as part of rescue missions.
