Veterinary Disaster Preparedness & Response: Key Concepts and Strategies

Why should veterinarians become involved in

disaster preparedness and response?

• Virtually all disasters involve animals.

• The number of animals affected during a disaster is often greater

than the number of humans, particularly when accounting for

livestock and wildlife in addition to companion animals.

• Animals typically remain in the disaster area longer than

humans.

• Resources for animals are typically limited.

What is the single most common factor associated with human evacuation failure that can be positively affected when disaster threat is imminent?

Pet ownership

What is the role of veterinarians in disaster medicine?

+ Pre-disaster planning: Self/Family, Clinic, Clients, Community

+ Rescue affected animals

+ Triage & medical assessments, stabilization, treatment of

affected or working animals

+ Perform animal decontamination processes

+ Animal control, sheltering needs, herd management

+ Biosecurity: control of disease transmission

+ Provide and distribute medical supplies

+ Humane euthanasia

+ Assisting in reuniting animals with their owners

+ Providing technical assistance to ensure appropriate food &

water quality

What is sudden, urgent, unexpected event

requiring immediate action, usually requiring help?

emergency

In emergencies, how are the local effects managed?

local resources (transport crashes, local floods,

building collapses, etc)

What is any human-caused or natural event causing widespread human, animal, material, economic, or environmental losses of sufficient severity to disrupt the essential functions and services of a community?

Disaster

T/F Local resources are not adequate for disasters

True

What are storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods,

wildfires, earthquakes, drought, landslides, winter storms, extreme heat events, volcano eruption?

Natural disasters

What are mass violence, oil spills, chemical spills, accidents (vehicle, ship, etc.), nuclear or other explosion, poisoning, power outage, terrorism, war/conflict?

Human-caused

Beauregard- March 2019

EF-4 tornado

Killed 23, injured 97

Lasted for 76 minutes and had a 68.6 mile path

there are a bunch of pictures again <3

slay girl

What is the organization & management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all aspects of emergencies?

Emergency Management

What is the on- scene organizational framework used to coordinate emergency responses by

multiple agencies & jurisdictions?

Incident Command System

What is the Incident Command System led by?

Incident Commander

T/F ICS organizes personnel into specialized

groups based on acquired skills: Operations, Logistics, Planning, Finance/Administration

True

What are the FOUR phases of emergency management?

preparation, response, recovery, mitigation

T/F All disasters start and end locally

True

What is the local government responsible for in emergency preparedness

Responsible for emergency planning & response as well as continued assessment of

resources, personnel, organization, communication, overall plans to protect citizens & property

What is the state government responsible for in emergency preparedness?

+Assists communities within the state by reviewing plans, providing guidance, assisting with resources before or after disaster

+Makes plans and assesses its capability to provide protection from large-scale, statewide

disasters

What is the federal government responsible for in emergency preparedness?

+Assists states by reviewing plans, providing guidance, & making plans to provide protection

from large-scale, nationwide disasters

+Supplements state assistance when state and local resources are insufficient

+If responding to a Federally-declared disaster, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management

Agency) is coordinating agency (part of DHS)

What is the "plan" for the governement diaster preparedness?

1. disaster occurs

2. call 911

3. local agencies respond to assist

4. tuscaloosa country requests state assistance

5. governor signs disaster declaration

6. state resources authorized to conduct initial damage

7. state appeals to fed government

8. FEMA reviews and recommends president to sign the federal disaster declaration

9. public assistance availiable for local government

10 individual assistance availiable for citizens

Who is is the primary federal agency that coordinates response to animal health emergencies?

USDA-APHIS-VS

What did the USDA-APHIS-VS develop in the face of federal response to animal health emergencies?

Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness and

Response Plan (FAD PReP)

What government agency coordinates the VS National Incident Management Teams

(NIMTs) that are ready to deploy to animal health incidents throughout the United States?

USDA

What does the National Incident Management Teams (NIMTs)do?

Conduct disease surveillance, collect epidemiological data, perform animal exams, administer vaccines, conduct depopulation, supervise

response activities, implement biosecurity, conduct cleaning and disinfection, and provide guidance on health/safety/PPE

What is the first and most effective intervention to reduce the impact of disasters?

Disaster Preparedness

What are 12 ways to prepare for the family in an emergency?

- sign up for alerts

- make a plan

- save money

- practice emergency drills

- test family communication plans

- seafegaurd documents

- plan w neighbors

- make home safer

- know your evacuation

- assemble or update supplies

- get involved in your community

- document your insured property

What are some of the things that you can do for your pets to make sure that you are prepared from emergencies?

+ TAKE YOUR PETS WITH YOU!

+ Make a disaster plan for your

animals and educate clients to do the same

What are some of the things that you can do for your livestock to make sure that you are prepared from emergencies?

Identify farms or other locations where livestock can go

Backup generators + fuel for livestock operations

Keep vehicles fueled

Keep handling equipment where personnel can find

easily

Keep barn and fields in good condition

Remove dead trees, debris, & other structures

If in wildfire area, clear brush around structures

What is utilized for small animal ID?

Name, phone of owner, phone of

alternate contact

what are some examples of things used for small animal ID?

-collar tag

- microchip

-tattoo

- temporary neckband

- waterproof pouch attached to collar w ID

what are some examples of things used for livestock ID?

-neck chain

- ear notch

- leg band

- brand

- marking crayon

- wattle notching

- ear tatto

- back or tail tag

what are some examples of things used for horses ID?

-microchip

- tattoo

- halter tag

- leg band

- mane chip

- clipper shaved info

Look at the evacuation kits for livestock and equine

okay i will

T/F A disaster impacts your practice - by affecting you, your family, your practice (structure, people, resources), but it will also impact your clients and community - you must anticipate your response decisions and priorities

True

What are the ways that you can ensure that you clinic is prepared?

• Determine hazards and risks for your area and clinic

• Create team to develop emergency plans

• Develop written plan to mitigate risks (sign up for alerts,

upgrade security & fire protection, install backup generator, etc.)

• Backup computer files and records

• Review insurance coverage (flood, hail damage, etc.)

• Assess & connect with local resources: local VMA,

animal control, EMA, etc.

• Clear all exits and ensure employees know all exits

• Train employees on all aspects of emergency plan and how

to evacuate patients & assist clients if emergency strikes

• Identify internal shelter in building

• Test, practice, and revise plan regularly

What is one of the most important things that you can do for your clients?

educate them!

+ Make a plan and review with family

(ready.gov)

+ Emergency kit & pet kit

+ Evacuation routes—take pets!

How do you fireproof a barn? (she talked about this hella throughout the lecture- she said KNOW THESE THINGS)

+ Annual Fire Inspection by Fire Dept

+ Install Heat or Smoke Detection Systems (and

carbon monoxide detectors)

+ Install Sprinkler Systems

+ Install Lightning Suppression System

+ Multiple fire extinguishers & training staff

+ Unplug items when not in use

+ Clean up

Ban Smoking: post no-smoking signs

+ Remove Flammables

+ No portable heaters in barn

Extension cords can be a fire hazard. Use only ___-___ models designed for outdoors and replace if they become damaged or wires are exposed

heavy-duty

T/F Heat lamps and fans are an easy way to overload your circuit if you have too many

plugged in at one time. Arrange them so they are being used as efficiently as possible, and disconnect whatever is not in use

True

Install wire or metal cages to cover light bulbs in overhead lights and heat lamps. If

possible, replace all of your barn's bulbs with ___-___ safety bulbs and be sure all the bulbs you are using are the correct wattage

plastic-coated

T/F You should manage your vegetation for fireproofing the barn

True

T/F Don't let it build up near your barn, as decomposing manure creates heat.

True

How can you manage your manure for fireproofing the barn?

Keep manure piles small, loose, and well-aerated, turn them regularly to release heat, maintain moderate moisture (not dry or waterlogged), avoid large amounts of hay/straw buildup, and store piles well away from barns and structures.

Give me a cute lil summary of preparedness :)

+ Prepare yourself and your own family first!

+ Include animals/livestock and pets in your emergency plans.

+ Create an emergency plan for your clinic/business.

+ Educate your clients every day on emergency preparedness.

+ Know what resources to consult to educate producers, farmers, clients on preparedness for their individual situations

T/F You should self-deploy during a disaster

False, NEVER

T/F If you are a "rogue" responder, you lose liability and AVMA protections that you would have if you deployed as a team member of a recognized unit or entity

True

What directs vets and vet students to courses on disaster and emergency response, verifying

that participants satisfy all core competencies

required to respond efficiently and effectively

to disasters?

AVMA First Responder

Certificate Program

What is the Practical considerations, understanding of behavior, specialty equipment, techniques, and methods

behind the safe extraction of a live large animal from entrapments (trailer wrecks, ditches, mud, barn fires) in local emergencies?

Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue

How can you become a Veterinary

Responder?

prep, train, join

How do you prep for becoming a Veterinary

Responder?

Make sure you, your family, and your

practice are prepared first

How do you train for becoming a Veterinary

Responder?

Obtain training in response concepts (FEMA,

Incident Command System, NIMS, AVMA First Responder Certificate) so you know how to integrate into the response

What does it mean to join?

Join a team/group at the national, state, local, or

NGO level so that you are deployed as part of the

organized response to meet a specific need

NEVER self-deploy!

Where do veterinarians fit in at the national level for emergency management?

• Full-time Federal employees (FEMA, USDA, HHS, uniformed services like

USPHS): USA jobs website

• US Public Health Service (USPHS) Public Health Emergency Response

Strike Team (PHERST) officer: link

• National Veterinary Response Team (intermittent Federal employees

activated when needed

Where do veterinarians fit in at the state/local level for emergency management?

• State Animal Response Team (SART)

• Community Animal Response Team (CART)

• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Where do veterinarians fit in at the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)

level for emergency management?

Groups under the National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition