EQUINE EVACUATION EQUINE EVACUATION GUIDELINESGUIDELINES

2003 Cedar, Paradise, Otay 2003 Cedar, Paradise, Otay FirestormFirestorm

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

• 10,000 acres per hour, 2.7 acres per second, 20 10,000 acres per hour, 2.7 acres per second, 20 miles per hour (3 football fields per second)miles per hour (3 football fields per second)

• 16 lives, 2430 structures, 376,237 acres, 16 lives, 2430 structures, 376,237 acres, $654,000,000 in lost property value $654,000,000 in lost property value

• Insufficient evacuation planning and Insufficient evacuation planning and communicationcommunication

• Preplan hazard areas, evac routes, and train to Preplan hazard areas, evac routes, and train to shelter in placeshelter in place

• 70% under insured and not being rebuilt70% under insured and not being rebuilt

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

• This presentation is intended to This presentation is intended to assist horse owners and residents to assist horse owners and residents to help themselves and to help trained help themselves and to help trained responders save life, property and responders save life, property and animals.animals.

• It’s your responsibility to be familiar It’s your responsibility to be familiar with safe evacuation procedures with safe evacuation procedures and to evacuate your animals and to evacuate your animals EARLY.EARLY.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE & DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE &

CONTROL VOLUNTEER EQUINE CONTROL VOLUNTEER EQUINE RESPONSE TEAM (LACDACCERT)RESPONSE TEAM (LACDACCERT)

The Equine Response Team is a group of The Equine Response Team is a group of qualified, trained, certified volunteers qualified, trained, certified volunteers whose purpose is to augment department whose purpose is to augment department resources through the safe evacuation of resources through the safe evacuation of livestock from areas imperiled by disaster livestock from areas imperiled by disaster or emergency under the authority of the or emergency under the authority of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control. The group also works to Care & Control. The group also works to educate large animal owners on how to be educate large animal owners on how to be prepared in case of an emergency. prepared in case of an emergency.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE & DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE &

CONTROL VOLUNTEER EQUINE CONTROL VOLUNTEER EQUINE RESPONSE TEAM (LACDACCERT)RESPONSE TEAM (LACDACCERT)

• Formed in 1996 in Santa Monica MountainsFormed in 1996 in Santa Monica Mountains

• 122 Members based throughout LA County: Santa Monica 122 Members based throughout LA County: Santa Monica Mountains; South Bay; Santa Clarita and Antelope ValleyMountains; South Bay; Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley

• Operates under the authority and direction of the Los Operates under the authority and direction of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control

• Trained and certified to operate within County Operational Trained and certified to operate within County Operational Area with County disaster response units Area with County disaster response units

LACDACCERT ContactLACDACCERT Contact: Mary Lukins (818) 991-8065 : Mary Lukins (818) 991-8065

County of Los AngelesCounty of Los AngelesFire DepartmentFire Department

• THEY have to THEY have to stay.stay.

• YOU don’t.YOU don’t.

• Preparedness is Preparedness is the key.the key.

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

• When disaster When disaster strikes, it is strikes, it is usually without usually without warning.warning.

• Mobilization of the Mobilization of the forces required to forces required to respond to a respond to a disaster must disaster must happen quickly. happen quickly. Preparedness is Preparedness is KEY!!KEY!!

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

Decisions must be made:Decisions must be made:

• The Los Angeles The Los Angeles County Fire County Fire Department Incident Department Incident Management TeamsManagement Teams strategically deploy strategically deploy resources and resources and immediately initiate immediately initiate appropriate appropriate evacuation evacuation procedures.procedures.

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

Decisions must be made:Decisions must be made:

• The Los Angeles County The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s DepartmentSheriff’s Department must notify residents in must notify residents in immediate danger, alert immediate danger, alert them of the need to them of the need to determine a safe exit, determine a safe exit, assist them in doing so, assist them in doing so, and decide what traffic and decide what traffic controls to initiate to controls to initiate to keep roads accessible. keep roads accessible.

• The California Highway The California Highway Patrol Patrol will ensure that will ensure that emergency response emergency response vehicles can safely vehicles can safely deploy and citizens deploy and citizens can safely exit the can safely exit the area as requested by area as requested by the Sheriff’s Dept.the Sheriff’s Dept.

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

Decisions must be made:Decisions must be made:

• The Los Angeles County The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Department of Animal Care & ControlCare & Control will be will be informed of areas informed of areas presenting the greatest presenting the greatest threat and alert its Equine threat and alert its Equine Response Teams to begin Response Teams to begin strategic evacuation for strategic evacuation for horses and animals in the horses and animals in the immediate vicinity of the immediate vicinity of the emergency. emergency.

• Local animal Local animal owners owners must must mobilize and mobilize and activate their own activate their own and/or and/or neighborhood neighborhood evacuation plans evacuation plans EARLY during the EARLY during the “voluntary “voluntary evacuation” stage.evacuation” stage.

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

Decisions must be made:Decisions must be made:

• Your decision on when to leave is Your decision on when to leave is criticalcritical. .

• Time spent on home preparation Time spent on home preparation ahead of a wildland fire or disaster ahead of a wildland fire or disaster is critical to reduce loss of property is critical to reduce loss of property and life.and life.

• Every fire is different!Every fire is different!

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

Decisions must be made:Decisions must be made:

• If and when an evacuation is ordered, If and when an evacuation is ordered, the Fire and Sheriff’s Departments’ the Fire and Sheriff’s Departments’ desire is for residents to leave desire is for residents to leave immediatelyimmediately..

• Your life/safety is the primary goal.Your life/safety is the primary goal.

• Quick compliance to an evacuation Quick compliance to an evacuation order is order is critical!critical!

EVACUATION PLANEVACUATION PLAN

Do you have one?Do you have one?

• Emergency preparedness must be a priority Emergency preparedness must be a priority for everyone that lives or works in a for everyone that lives or works in a wildland interface area. Don’t rely only on wildland interface area. Don’t rely only on authorities. Safe evacuation of your family authorities. Safe evacuation of your family and animals is and animals is your responsibility firstyour responsibility first..

• A major part of your preparedness is to A major part of your preparedness is to develop a logical, well thought out and develop a logical, well thought out and executed evacuation plan. Discuss the plan executed evacuation plan. Discuss the plan with family and neighbors, and with family and neighbors, and PRACTICE itPRACTICE it..

EVACUATION PLANEVACUATION PLAN

Do you have one?Do you have one?

A good equine evacuation plan includes the A good equine evacuation plan includes the followingfollowing::

• Identification of at least two Identification of at least two (2) exit routes and a (2) exit routes and a prearranged destination. prearranged destination.

• Access to well maintained Access to well maintained trailers, barns and stalls. trailers, barns and stalls. Post critical numbers and Post critical numbers and emergency contact info at emergency contact info at barns and have evacuation barns and have evacuation authority agreements with authority agreements with neighbors.neighbors.

• Prepare identification for Prepare identification for horses (photos, papers). horses (photos, papers). Tag horses prior to Tag horses prior to evacuation and keep ID evacuation and keep ID info with you so you can info with you so you can recover animals.recover animals.

• Train yourself and your Train yourself and your horses to load and offload. horses to load and offload.

• Prepare emergency supplies, Prepare emergency supplies, food and water for 72 hours. food and water for 72 hours.

• Equine Disaster Equine Disaster Preparedness Kit including: Preparedness Kit including: portable radio, cell portable radio, cell phone/charger, flashlights, phone/charger, flashlights, batteries, portable generator, batteries, portable generator, water buckets, stored feed water buckets, stored feed and meds, leads, halters, and meds, leads, halters, shanks, leg wraps, blanket or shanks, leg wraps, blanket or sheet, hoof pick, tarps, sheet, hoof pick, tarps, shovel, sharp knife, wire shovel, sharp knife, wire cutters, water hose, soap, cutters, water hose, soap, basic equine first aid kit.basic equine first aid kit.

EVACUATION PLANEVACUATION PLAN

Preparation Ahead of the Preparation Ahead of the FireFire

• Unlock barn, stall and Unlock barn, stall and gates.gates.

• Prepare and position Prepare and position trailer and vehicle.trailer and vehicle.

• Back your car in the Back your car in the garage heading out garage heading out (windows closed and (windows closed and keys in the ignition).keys in the ignition).

• Close the garage door Close the garage door and leave it unlocked. and leave it unlocked. Disconnect the Disconnect the automatic garage door automatic garage door opener in the case of opener in the case of power failure.power failure.

EVACUATION PLANEVACUATION PLAN

Preparation Ahead of the Preparation Ahead of the FireFire

• Place important Place important documents, photo documents, photo albums, animal albums, animal identification and identification and other valuables other valuables inside your car or tow inside your car or tow vehicle in advance in vehicle in advance in case you have to case you have to evacuate. evacuate.

• Have small animal Have small animal carriers with carriers with adequate ventilation adequate ventilation and water available.and water available.

• Keep a flashlight and Keep a flashlight and portable radio with portable radio with you at all times and you at all times and stay tuned to your stay tuned to your local news station. local news station.

EVACUATION ROUTES & EVACUATION ROUTES & ASSEMBLY POINTSASSEMBLY POINTS

• Work out evacuation routes and assembly Work out evacuation routes and assembly points with family and neighbors, and points with family and neighbors, and PRACTICE. PRACTICE.

• In the event of a major wildfire in the Santa In the event of a major wildfire in the Santa Clarita area, no location is completely safe. It Clarita area, no location is completely safe. It is best to remove horses from the area to is best to remove horses from the area to avoid repeated evacuations. avoid repeated evacuations.

• Total evacuation may be impossible in many Total evacuation may be impossible in many areas as narrow roads and limited access areas as narrow roads and limited access restrict traffic exiting and emergency restrict traffic exiting and emergency equipment entering. GO EARLY !!equipment entering. GO EARLY !!

SHELTERING SITESSHELTERING SITES

• The Fire Department, Sheriff’s The Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, Animal Care & Control Department, Animal Care & Control and news media will advise area and news media will advise area residents of sheltering sites.residents of sheltering sites.

• Be aware that no location within the Be aware that no location within the evacuation area during a wind-evacuation area during a wind-driven fire is completely safe. Select driven fire is completely safe. Select destinations that avoid repeated destinations that avoid repeated evacuation.evacuation.

EQUINE EVACUATIONEQUINE EVACUATION

•PPLANLAN

•PPREPAREREPARE

•PPRACTICERACTICE

•GGO EARLY (Voluntary O EARLY (Voluntary evacuation)evacuation)

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO EVACUATE WHEN A FIRE EVACUATE WHEN A FIRE

APPROACHESAPPROACHES

• Stay inside your house Stay inside your house away from outside walls away from outside walls and windows.and windows.

• Keep all doors closed but Keep all doors closed but unlocked, windows closed unlocked, windows closed and air conditioning off.and air conditioning off.

• Shelter horses in place Shelter horses in place (Barns, paddocks, outside (Barns, paddocks, outside stalls, etc). Keep small stalls, etc). Keep small animals inside.animals inside.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO EVACUATE WHEN A FIRE EVACUATE WHEN A FIRE

APPROACHESAPPROACHES• Keep your entire family Keep your entire family

together and REMAIN together and REMAIN CALM. Remember if it CALM. Remember if it gets hot in the house, it is gets hot in the house, it is four to five times hotter four to five times hotter and more dangerous and more dangerous outside.outside.

• Be aware that fire Be aware that fire IS UNPREDICTABLE IS UNPREDICTABLE and can turn back and can turn back on itself.on itself.

AFTER THE FIRE PASSESAFTER THE FIRE PASSES

• Check the exterior and roof of Check the exterior and roof of home and barn immediately, home and barn immediately, extinguish all sparks and extinguish all sparks and embers. If you must climb on embers. If you must climb on the roof, use caution.the roof, use caution.

• Check inside the attic for hidden Check inside the attic for hidden burning embers.burning embers.

• Check your yard for burning Check your yard for burning woodpiles, trees, fence posts or woodpiles, trees, fence posts or other materials.other materials.

• Have horses vet checked as soon Have horses vet checked as soon as possible. (Smoke damage, as possible. (Smoke damage, stress, colic.) stress, colic.)

DURING EVACUATIONDURING EVACUATION

• Don’t turn horses or large Don’t turn horses or large animals out.animals out.

• Horses tend to run back into a Horses tend to run back into a barn… even a burning barn.barn… even a burning barn.

• Fleeing animals may impede Fleeing animals may impede emergency response vehicles.emergency response vehicles.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANIMAL RELATED DISASTER ANIMAL RELATED DISASTER

PLANNINGPLANNING Contact the following web sitesContact the following web sites::

www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/cehwww.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh (Horse Report, April (Horse Report, April 2004)2004)

www.hsus.orgwww.hsus.org “Disaster Preparedness, Horse “Disaster Preparedness, Horse Evacuation”Evacuation”

www.etinational.com/docsandforms.htmlwww.etinational.com/docsandforms.html “What Do I “What Do I Do With My Horse in Fire, Flood or Earthquake” Do With My Horse in Fire, Flood or Earthquake”

Contact Mary Lukins, Los Angeles County Department Contact Mary Lukins, Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control at 818 991 8065 or your of Animal Care and Control at 818 991 8065 or your nearest LACDACC Animal Shelternearest LACDACC Animal Shelter

LACDACC Equine Response LACDACC Equine Response Team Training ProgramTeam Training Program

• Completion of LA County Dept of Animal Care & Completion of LA County Dept of Animal Care & Control ERT and State Disaster Worker Control ERT and State Disaster Worker applicationsapplications

• Three Levels of certification requiring a total of Three Levels of certification requiring a total of 40 hours of training40 hours of training– Level One: Communications and DocumentationLevel One: Communications and Documentation

– Level Two: Shelter Site operationsLevel Two: Shelter Site operations

– Level Three: Trailer Teams and Core Team Level Three: Trailer Teams and Core Team managementmanagement

• 49 hours of specialty training and drills49 hours of specialty training and drills

LACDACC Equine Response LACDACC Equine Response Team Training ProgramTeam Training Program

Level One (10 hours)Level One (10 hours)

– Orientation (2)Orientation (2)

– Documentation/Identification Documentation/Identification Standards (2)Standards (2)

– Incident Command System (2)Incident Command System (2)

– Fire Safety (2)Fire Safety (2)

– Disaster Psychology (2)Disaster Psychology (2)

LACDACC Equine Response LACDACC Equine Response Team Training ProgramTeam Training Program

• Level Two (18 hours)Level Two (18 hours)– Completion of Level OneCompletion of Level One

– First Aid & CPR (6)First Aid & CPR (6)

– Equine First Aid (3)Equine First Aid (3)

– Horse Behavior/Psychology (3)Horse Behavior/Psychology (3)

– Horse Handling and Control (4)Horse Handling and Control (4)

– Radio Operations (2)Radio Operations (2)

LACDACC Equine Response LACDACC Equine Response Team Training ProgramTeam Training Program

• Level Three (12 hours)Level Three (12 hours)

– Completion of Levels 1 & 2Completion of Levels 1 & 2

– Trailer Loading Technique (6)Trailer Loading Technique (6)

– Wildfire Scenarios and Fire Safety Field Wildfire Scenarios and Fire Safety Field Class (6)Class (6)

LACDACC Equine Response LACDACC Equine Response Team Training ProgramTeam Training Program

• Specialty Classes (49 hours)Specialty Classes (49 hours)– LASD EVOC Towed Vehicle Handling (8)LASD EVOC Towed Vehicle Handling (8)

– Incident Management Team (10)Incident Management Team (10)

– Amateur Radio Licensing (8)Amateur Radio Licensing (8)

– Amateur Radio Operations (3)Amateur Radio Operations (3)

– Training Drills (16)Training Drills (16)

– Sheltering Management (4)Sheltering Management (4)