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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Recent FEMA guideline to require certified animal handlers at disasters

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "IRVIN LICHTENSTEIN" <ilichten1@verizon.net>
  • To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Recent FEMA guideline to require certified animal handlers at disasters
  • Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 13:33:35 -0400

As of 2 years ago FEMA required disaster planners to seek accommodation for
pets during evacuation and shelter periods. This also included livestock in
agricultural areas. The American Red Cross policy is that if the building
owner will permit it they will accommodate small pets but the evacuee must
care for the animal and prevent any untoward incidents. Since most shelters
are also food handling locations, schools, or public buildings no animals
other than service animals are usually allowed by law.

Most states moved to form State Animal Rescue Teams and County Animal Rescue
Teams to do this relocation and to possibly transport stranded animals from
highway incidents locally. Most teams locate shelter areas (local
farms/stables) and maintain lists of haulers (commercial and
non-commercial). This reduces to an ad hoc process however, as these
organizations may not be certified as emergency responders.

Our county (Montgomery, PA) is taking a different approach. The mounted SAR
unit in training (SE PA SAR) is being tasked with providing animal handling
expertise to local police, fire, EMA and EMS personnel who are well versed
in people rescue and extrication. A plan to pre-survey and pre-stock
various parklands and open spaces as shelters with portable fencing and
water tanks has been proposed for the horse population. This keeps the
large numbers of horses in the same groups they are hauled in with and
easier to control, identify, and prevent disease transmission. The MSAR
unit is qualified as an emergency responder and will be provided with county
based dispatch services and access to emergency scenes. Approximately 1/3
of the MSAR personnel will be attending a 4 day Large Animal Rescue training
session at the New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania's Vet
School next weekend (7/21-24/06).





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