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In this episode of Hello Austin County, we\u2019re joined by Stephen Burnett, Austin County\u2019s AgriLife Extension Agent, to talk about the vital work of the Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) unit and how it helps Texas communities during their most difficult times. Stephen explains the origins of DAR, how it mobilizes in the aftermath of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and tornadoes, and why rapid disaster assessments are so important for unlocking state and federal aid.<\/strong><\/p>\n Stephen shares how his role in Austin County<\/strong> connects local residents with resources, and how county extension agents across Texas serve as a bridge between communities and government agencies. From assessing damage to distributing supplies and coordinating with FEMA, DAR\u2019s work is both immediate and long-term.<\/p>\n We also hear about the role of volunteers and the resilience of communities across Texas, along with stories that highlight how neighbors step up for each other during crises. Beyond disaster response, Stephen discusses how AgriLife invests in preparedness\u2014training programs, workshops, and education that equip residents to better face future emergencies.<\/p>\n This episode shines a light on the behind-the-scenes work that often goes unnoticed but makes a critical difference when disaster strikes. It\u2019s a powerful reminder that coordination, planning, and community resilience are the keys to recovery.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019ve experienced a disaster yourself or simply want to understand how Austin County<\/strong> and Texas prepare and recover, this conversation offers valuable insights into the people and partnerships keeping our communities strong.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”aaa7c440-590a-4078-ae0c-0f3c699ac51c” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Sarabun|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_3_font_size=”32px” header_3_line_height=”1.5em” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” 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_module_preset=”aaa7c440-590a-4078-ae0c-0f3c699ac51c” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Sarabun|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_3_font_size=”32px” header_3_line_height=”1.5em” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_3_font_size_tablet=”20px” header_3_font_size_phone=”16px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”518880c8-46c7-4ffa-b5a6-93ffa99dcc17″ text_font=”Quattrocento Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.6em” header_2_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” header_3_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_4_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size_tablet=”16px” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.17.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”aaa7c440-590a-4078-ae0c-0f3c699ac51c” header_font=”||||||||” header_3_font=”Sarabun|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_3_font_size=”32px” header_3_line_height=”1.5em” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_3_font_size_tablet=”20px” header_3_font_size_phone=”16px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”518880c8-46c7-4ffa-b5a6-93ffa99dcc17″ text_font=”Quattrocento Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.6em” text_font_size_tablet=”16px” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u23f0 0:46 \u2013 Origin of the Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) unit<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 1:05 \u2013 How DAR mobilizes right after a disaster<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 1:20 \u2013 The importance of quick damage assessments for state and federal aid<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 4:40 \u2013 Volunteer roles and how communities self-organize<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 5:15 \u2013 Examples of county extension agents helping families<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 6:00 \u2013 Stories of residents stepping up during hurricanes and floods<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 13:26 \u2013 Training programs for disaster readiness<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 14:05 \u2013 How AgriLife educates farmers and ranchers to protect livestock and crops<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u23f0 15:20 \u2013 Community workshops for emergency planning<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this episode of Hello Austin County, Greg Stuessel and Shelley Stuessel-Brian sit down with Stephen Burnett of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension to talk about the Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) unit and its critical role in helping Texas communities. Stephen explains how AgriLife steps in after hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other crises to assess damage, deliver resources, and coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies. He also shares how county extension agents and volunteers provide a vital link between residents and emergency services, offering both immediate relief and long-term education. From disaster response to preparedness workshops, this conversation highlights the challenges of recovery while showing how planning, partnerships, and community resilience can make all the difference when disaster strikes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"rttpg_full_width","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[19,28,25,16,29,18,26,17,27,24,21,13,20,32,30,15,14,31,23,22],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hello-austin-county-podcast","tag-community-resilience","tag-community-volunteers","tag-county-extension-agents","tag-disaster-assessment-and-recovery","tag-disaster-education","tag-disaster-preparedness","tag-disaster-relief-texas","tag-emergency-management","tag-emergency-response-teams","tag-fema-coordination","tag-flood-response","tag-hello-austin-county","tag-hurricane-recovery","tag-local-recovery-efforts","tag-preparedness-workshops","tag-stephen-burnett","tag-texas-am-agrilife-extension","tag-texas-disasters","tag-tornado-response","tag-wildfire-recovery"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f Host:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Shelley Stuessel-Brian<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Director of Operations, Austin County News Online<\/span>\u00a0& Co-Creator, <\/span>Hello Austin County<\/em><\/h3>\n
Greg Stuessel<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Publisher, Executive Producer, Technical Director
Austin County News Online & Austin County Media<\/span><\/h3>\n\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f Guest:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Stephen Burnett, Austin County\u2019s AgriLife Extension Agent, Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) Unit<\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udfa7 Episode Highlights<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n
\n