Mounted search and rescue

["Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>]

Operational areas (counties, etc.) are supposed to have in place an emergency evacuation plan for animals. This is an issue FEMA wanted addressed, complete with some initial program funding. I think it was in 2008 or 2009. Many animal evacuation plans across the country should be up for scheduled review soon if that review hasn't already occurred. (My To Do list from county OES includes this plan to review.)

 

The animal emergency evacuation plan is primarily for domestic pets like dogs and cats, but should include horses, particularly when horses are common to the operational area. Livestock may be included in the plan to some degree. The local plan should include the option of requesting assistance from nearby counties, or going through the statewide mutual aid process then even reaching out to nearby states using EMAC.

 

State level should also have an animal emergency evacuation plan. Authorities, including Fire, should be aware these plans exist and activate as needed.

 

A general email blast from a person asking for more evacuation help does not constitute an activation. (Also be aware of the date and your response travel time ... and you may get that forwarded email several days later.) If you choose to respond to an unofficial or private request, you're on your own with no status other than spontaneous volunteer.

 

If a private request for help like a boarding stable evacuation they generally need help ASAP, so confirm before leaving that they still need help at that location and you have a safe access route. Road closures may delay you so long your assistance may not even be viable. If a general request from a private party for help at the incident, it is possible you would be turned back by authorities, but at minimum you should report to the command post and be authorized, processed, trained and briefed prior to being deployed on an assignment.

 

If incident management has officially requested that their field and other personnel reach out to find more help, that should be indicated in the email, phone call, etc., along with more response detail, with results reported back to incident management. If you're then on the incident list of expected spontaneous volunteer responders, you won't get turned away unless they no longer have a need for the skills/capabilities you can provide. Authorities with a short window and inadequate resources may also choose to reach out with a public media announcement. Either way, you're a spontaneous volunteer.

 

Pre-authorized field personnel are commonly local volunteers trained in the local animal evacuation plan. You're on the resource list for activation. If your MSAR unit isn't already listed as a resource for the local animal activation plan, suggest this to your authorizing agency. If you're not affiliated with an authorizing agency, contact your local office of emergency services as an individual volunteer. Once you're "in the system" as a resource for this type of activation, if a nearby county / state needs assistance for animal evacuation you can be requested and deployed as out of area authorized resources. (ICS and other training would commonly be expected for mutual aid responders.)

 

As a requested mutual aid resource you'd likely get some fast local training on their local forms, where staging is, etc., be issued some local document/ID that allows you to legally enter private property and evacuate horses, then be deployed on assignments.

 

It isn't all trailering. Some folks with solid horse handling and care experience may be assigned to holding areas. Volunteers with the right credentials may be asked to participate in some level of ICS as team leader, supervision or management.

 

As Chris said, " The best thing you can do in your area is to keep the animals owners thinking about what THEY will do if they need to evac their own animals. The responsibility needs to be squarely on their shoulders. If the general public is prepared what's left is much more manageable. :-)"  Worth repeating!

 

Facilities with boarded horses should have their own evacuation plan.  Horse owners with animals at home should also have an evacuation plan. There are non-trailer methods that can be used for shorter distances if the rider/handler and mounts have the appropriate equipment, training and experience. (For example, leading the horses connected single file like a pack string.) But non-trailer methods are more challenging to perform successfully in a more chaotic situation.

 

Have an evacuation plan that includes your animals, including horses. Become a recognized resource for the county animal evacuation plan ... even if you don't have a trailer there are other ways to help.

 

FYI, the multiple local animal evacuation plans I've seen commonly have a "come fetch your critter" clause in the document that processes your pet/horse into the holding facility, and particularly with horses the authorities will likely start charging board after X days of public notification to come reclaim your animals. And after X days of no boarding funds, etc., they reserve the right to claim your animal for non-payment and auction off or otherwise remove that animal from government care.

 

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Jorene Downs

SAR, CERT, Emergency Communications

Mounted SAR

http://www.ceoates.com/msar

KJ6JCD