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Disaster preparedness

5/21/2020

What does it mean to be prepared for a disaster? It means having a list of pre-planned actions that enable rapid decision making. Emergencies and disasters are not the time to be making initial decisions. Use the following information to develop a plan and organize supplies for multiple possibilities.

For individual horse emergencies, your plan should include the following:

Veterinarian phone number
Agent/decision-maker in place in case you cannot be reached and for triage purposes
Budget/Insurance
Keep insurance information easily accessible
Transportation
Have at least two trailering options
Be confident at a basic physical exam and first aid/wound care

For disaster planning, the first step is to analyze your risk of adverse events, such as wildfires, earthquakes, barn fires, tsunamis, etc. Secondly, a barn/neighborhood action plan is key.

Start with communication and set up a phone tree.

Use LANDLINES to call- cell towers may not work
Texting can often work when phone calls won’t go through
Write down phone numbers in case your phone runs out of battery power
Keep updated with state/local emergency alerts
Local Animal Response Teams are a wealth of information
https://contracostacart.org/index.html

Transportation is the next hurdle- know the following:

Where you are going (contact office of emergency services to find out where to evacuate in your area; consider making pre-arrangements to board at another facility away from the danger zone)
How to get there (have at least two routes planned)
Who will drive the trailer
Also, be sure the trailer and truck are ready to go. Keep the hauling vehicle full of fuel, and make sure the tires, hitch, and flooring are all in good shape
Evacuate early- as the disaster progresses and evacuations become mandatory, officials may not let trailers through certain routes
Be sure horses are trained to load

Identification and paperwork:

Photo of horse markings/brands/tattoo
Photo of you with the horse
Livestock marker for writing a phone number on the horse
Braid luggage tag into the mane
Permanent marker on the hooves with phone number
Microchip
ID tags on the halter

Have the following paperwork handy:

Current vaccination records/Coggins test (Starwood Equine clients can access this information through the client portal)
Microchip paperwork
List of any current medications and dosing
Travel papers/health certificates to cross state lines
Copies of ownership paperwork
Insurance paperwork- keep current
Map of the local area with emergency facilities
Cash for gas/other things you may need

For each horse, have the following:

Halter and lead (breakaway or leather); keep accessible and not in a locked tack trunk
Feed/water for at least 72 hours (10-20 gallons of water per day/ hay for 48-72 hours)
Current medications

Have a first aid kit with you in your vehicle:

wire cutters
wound care (betadine solution, saline flush, gauze, nonstick pad, Neosporin)
bandage material (roll gauze, vet wrap, leg wraps)
thermometer
duct tape
stethoscope
knife
portable radio
flashlight and extra batteries

If you have to leave your horses behind:

Leave them in a pre-selected, cleared area (arena, dry lot, large pastures)
Close off the barn so they do not go back inside
Leave enough hay for 48-72 hours
DO NOT rely on automatic waterers (power may be lost)
Leave buckets and troughs full

In the Thomas fire, livestock that was left out was largely spared because they could navigate around the fire; firefighters will cut fences if they need to.

After a disaster:

Inspect the barn, pastures, and fencing before putting horses back.

Smoke Factors:

Limit exercise when smoke is present
Plenty of fresh water will help the animals be able to clear their airways of the smoke particles
4-6 weeks of rest to allow damaged airways to heal

3 Comments

Poisonous Plants

Disaster preparedness

Start with communication and set up a phone tree.

Transportation is the next hurdle- know the following:

Identification and paperwork:

Have the following paperwork handy:

For each horse, have the following:

Have a first aid kit with you in your vehicle:

If you have to leave your horses behind:

After a disaster:

Smoke Factors:

Topics

Archives

Poisonous Plants

Disaster preparedness

​Start with communication and set up a phone tree.

Transportation is the next hurdle- know the following:

Identification and paperwork:

Have the following paperwork handy:

For each horse, have the following: ​

Have a first aid kit with you in your vehicle:

If you have to leave your horses behind:

After a disaster:

Smoke Factors:

Topics

Archives

Start with communication and set up a phone tree.

For each horse, have the following: