This is a good time of year to develop or review your farm’s emergency plan — and there’s a free online guide for doing that.

The Rural Emergency Plan can be used to create a site map; inventory of hazardous goods; location of emergency water supplies, equipment and other supplies; and issues for first responders (such as any roadblocks and barriers; entrances too narrow for large firefighting equipment; and alternative access points, which are often needed if there’s a grass fire).

Developing a plan helps identify issues such as fire sources, overly steep dugout slopes, lack of barriers around fuel tanks, and yards cluttered with old machinery.

For more, see www.ruralemergencyplan.com.