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Take Precautions...
Make a disaster plan to protect your property, your facilities, and your animals. Create a list of emergency telephone numbers, including those of your employees, neighbors, veterinarian, state veterinarian, poison control, local animal shelter, animal care and control, county extension service, local agricultural schools, trailering resources, and local volunteers. Include a contact person outside the disaster area. Make sure all this information is written down and that everyone has a copy.
Make sure every animal has durable and visible identification.
Ensure that poultry have access to high areas in which to perch, if they are in a flood prone area, as well as food and clean water.
Reinforce your house, barn, and outbuildings with hurricane straps and other measures. Perform regular safety checks on all utilities, buildings, and facilities on your farm.
Use only native and deep-rooted plants and trees in landscaping (nonative plants are less durable and hardy in your climate and may become dislodged by high winds or broken by ice and snow).
Remove all barbed wire, and consider rerouting permanent fencing so that animals may move to high ground in a flood and low-lying areas in high-wind events.
Install a hand pump and obtain enough large containers to water your animals for at least a week (municipal water supplies and wells are often contaminated during a disaster).
Identify alternate water and power sources. A generator with a safety stored supply of fuel may be essential, especially if you have electrical equipment necessary to the well-being of your animals.
Secure or remove anything that could become blowing debris; make a habit of securing trailers, propane tanks, and other large objects. If you have boats, feed troughs, or other large containers, fill them with water before any high-wind event. This prevents them from blowing around and also gives you an additional supply of water.
If you use heat lamps or other electrical machinery, make sure the wiring is safe and that any heat source if clear of flammable debris.
Label hazardous materials and place them all in the same safe area. Provide local fire and rescue and emergency managment authorities with information about the location of any hazardous materials on your property.
Remove old buried trash - a potential source of hazardous materials during flooding that may leech into crops, feed supplies, water sources, and pasture.
Review and update your disaster plan, supplies, and information regularly.
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Fire prevention is key...
Prohibit smoking in or around the barn. A discarded cigarette can ignite dry bedding or hay in seconds.
Avoid parking tractors and vehicle in or near the barn. Engine heat and backfires can spark a flame. Also, store other machinery and flammable materials outside of the barn.
Inspect electrical systems regularly and immediately correct any problems. Rodents can chew on electrical wiring and cause damage that can quickly become a fire hazard.
Keep appliances to a minimum in the barn. Use stall fans, space heaters, and radios only when someone is in the barn.
Install a sprinkler system.
Be sure hay is dry before storing it. Hay that is too moist may spontaneously combust. Store hay outside of the barn in a dry, covered area when possible.
Be prepared...
Mount fire extinguishers in all buildings, especially at all entrances. Make sure they are current and that your family and employees know how to use them.
Keep aisles, stall doors, and barn doors free of debris and equipment.
Have a planned evacuation route for every area of your farm, and familiarize all family members and employees with your evacuation plans.
Post emergency telephone numbers at each telephone and at each entrance. Emergency telephone numbers should include those of the veterinarian, emergency response personnel, and qualified livestock handlers. Also, keep your barn's street address clearly posted to relay to the 911 operator or your community's emergency services.
Be sure your address and the entrance to your farm are clearly visible from the main road.
Install smoke alarms and heat detectors in all buildings. New heat sensors can detect rapidly changing temperatures in buildings. Smoke detectors and heat sensors should be hooked up to sirens that will quickly alert you and your neighbors to a possible fire.
Host an open house for emergency services personnel in your area to familiarize them with the layout of your property. Provide them with tips on handling you animals or present a mini-seminar with hands-on training.
Familiarize your animals with emergency procedures and common things they would encounter during a disaster. Try to desensitize them to flashlights and flashing lights.
In the event of a barn fire...
Immediately call 911 or your local emergency services. Keep that number clearly posted.
Do not enter any building if it is already engulfed in flames.
If it is safe for you to enter the barn, evacuate animals starting with the most accessible ones.
Move animals quickly to a fenced area far enough from the fire and smoke. Never let animals loose in an area where they are able to return to a burning building.
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Evacuation Planning...
Evacuate animals as soon as possible. Be ready to leave once the evacuation is ordered. In a slowly evolving disaster, such as a hurricane, leave no later than 72 hours before anticipated landfall, especially if you will be hauling a high-profile trailer such as a horse trailer. Remember: even a fire truck fully loaded with water is considered "out of service" in winds exceeding 40 mph. If there are already high winds, it may not be possible to evacuate safely.
Arrange for a place to shelter your animals. Plan ahead and work within your community to establish safe shelters for farm animals. Potential facilities include fairgrounds, other farms, racetracks, humane societies, convention facilities you can find. Survey your community and potential host communities along your planned evacuation route.
Contact your local emergency management authority and become familiar with at least two possible evacuation routes well in advance.
Set up safe transportation. Trucks, trailers, and other vehicles suitable for transporting livestock (appropriate for transporting each specific type of animal) should be available, along with experienced handlers and drivers.
Take all your disaster supplies with you or make sure they will be available at your evacuation site. You should have or be able to readily obtain feed, water, veterinary supplies, handling equpiment, tools, and generators if necessary.
If your animals are sheltered off your property, make sure that they remain in the groupings they are used to. Also, be sure they are sucurely contained and sheltered form the elements if necessary, whether in cages, fenced-in areas, or buildings.
Farm Disaster Kit...
Current list of all animals, including their location and records of feeding, vaccinations, and tests. Make this information available at various locations on the farm. Make sure that you have proof of ownership for all animals.
Supplies for temporary identification of your animals, such as plastic neckbands and permanent markers to label your animals with your name, address, and telephone number.
Basic first aid kit.
Handling equipment such as halters, cages, and appropriate tools for each kind of animal.
Water, feed, and buckets.
Tools and supplies needed for sanitation.
Disaster equipment such as cell phone, flashlights, portable radios, and batteries.
Other safety and emergency items for your vehicles and trailers.
Food, water, and disaster supplies for your family.
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In the event of a barn fire (RESPONDERS)...
Immediately call 911 or your local emergency services. Keep that number clearly posted.
Do not enter the barn if it is already engulfed in flames.
If it is safe for you to enter the barn, evacuate horses one at a time starting with the most accessible horses. Be sure to put a halter and lead rope on each horse when you open the stall door. Be aware that the horses tend to run back to the burning barns out of fear and confusion.
Blindfold horses only if absolutely necessary. Many horses with balk at a blindfold, making evacuation more difficult and time consuming.
Move your horses to paddocks close enough to reach quickly but far enough from the barn that the horses will not be affected by the fire and smoke. Never let horses loose in an area where they are able to return to the barn.
After the fire, be sure to have all your horses checked by a veterinarian. Smoke inhilation can cause serious lung damage and respiratory complications. Horses are prone to stress and may cause colic after a fire.
Be prepared for a barn fire - it can save your horses life (COMMUNITY)...
Keep aisles, stall doors, and barn doors free of debris and equipment.
Mount fire extenguishers around the stable, especially at all entrances.
Have a planned evacuation route for every stall in the barn. Familiarize employees and horse handlers with your evacuation plans.
Post emergency telephone numbers at each telephone and at each entrance. Emergency telephone numbers should include those of the barn manager, veterinarian, emergency response, and other qualified horse handlers. Also keep your barn's street address clearly posted to relay to the 911 operator or your community's emergency services.
Be sure your address and the entrance to your property are clearly visible from the main road.
Consider installing smoke alarms and heat detectors throughout the barn. New heat sensors can detect rapidly changing temperatures in your barn. The heat sensors should be hooked up to sirens that will quickly alert you and your neighbors to a possible barn fire.
Host an open house for emergency services personnel in your area to familiarize them with the layout of your property. Provide them with tips on horse handling or present a mini-seminar with hands-on training for horses handling.
Familiarize your horses with emergency procedures and common activities they would encounter during a disaster. Try to desensitize them to flashlights and flashing lights.
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Fire prevention is key...
Prohibit smoking in or around the barn. A discarded cigarette can ignite dry bedding or hay in seconds.
Avoid parking tractors and vehicles in or near the barn. Engine heat and backfires can spark a flame. Also store other machinery and flammable materials outside of the barn.
Inspect electrical systems regularly and immediately correct any problems. Rodents can chew wiring and cause damage that quickly becomes a fire hazard. Keep appliances to a minimum in the barn. Use stall fans, space heaters, and radios only when someone is in the barn.
Be sure hay is dry before storing it. Hay that is too moist may spontaneously combust. Store hay outside of the barn in a dry, covered area when possible.
Horse evacuation tips...
Make arrangements in advance to have your horse trailered in case of an emergency. If you do not have your own trailer or do not have enough trailer space for all of your horses, be sure you have several people on standby to help evacuate your horses.
Know where you can take your horses in an emergency evacuation. Make arrangements with a friend or another horse owner to stable your horses if needed. Contact your local animal care and control agency, agricultural extention agent, or local emergency management authorities for information about shelters in your area.
Inform friends and neighbors of your evacuation plans. Post detailed instructions in several places-including the barn office or tack room, the horse trailer, and barn entrances-to ensure they are accessible to emergency workers in case you are not able to evacuate your horses yourself.
Place your horses' Coggins test, veterinary papers, identification photographs, and vital information-such as medical history, allergies, and emergency telephone numbers (veterinarian, family members, etc.) in a watertight envelope. Store the envelope with your other important papers in a safe place that can be quickly reached.
Keep halters ready for your horses. Each halter should include the following information: the horse's name, your name, your telephone number, and another emergency telephone number where someone can be reached.
Prepare a basic first aid kit that is portable and easily accessible.
Be sure to have on hand a supply of water, hay, feed, and medications for several days for each horse you are evacuating.
It is very important that your horses are comfortable being loaded into a trailer. If your horses are unaccustomed to being loaded into a trailer, practice the procedure so they become used to it.
There may be times when taking your horses with you is impossible during an emergency. So you must consider different types of disasters in a barn or loose in a field.
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If you evacuate, take your pets...
If you leave, even if you think you may be gone only for a few hours, take your animals. Once you leave your home, you have no way of knowing how long you'll be kept out of the area, and you may not be able to go back for your pets.
Leave early-don't wait for a mandatory evacuation order. An unneccessary trip is far better than waiting too long to leave safely with your pets. If you wait to be evacuated by emergency officials, you may be told to leave your pets behind.
Don't forget ID...
Your pets should be wearing up-to-date identification at all times. It's a good idea to include the phone number of a friend or relative outside your immediate area-if your pet is lost, you want to provide a number on the tag that will be answered even if you are out of your home.
Find a safe place ahead of time...
Because evacutaion shelters generally don't accept pets, except for service animals, you must plan ahead to ensure that your family and pets will have a safe place to stay. Don't wait until disaster strikes to do your research.
Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area to check policies on accepting pets. Ask about any restrictions on number, size, and species. Ask if "no pet" policies would be waived in an emergency. Make a list of pet-friendly places and keep it handy. Call ahead for a reservation as soon as you think you might have to leave your home.
Check with friends, relatives, or others outside you immediate area. Ask if they would be able to shelter you and your animals or just your animals, if necessary. If you have more than one pet, you may have to be prepared to house them seperately.
Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinary offices that might be able to shelter animals in emergencies, include 24-hour telephone numbers.
Ask your local animal shelter if it provides foster care or shelter for pets in an emergency. This should be your last resort, as shelters have limited resources and are likely to be stretched to their limits during an emergency.
If you don't evacuate...
If your family and pets must wait out a storm or other disaster at home, identify a safe area of your home where you can all stay together.
Keep dogs on leashes and cats in carriers, and make sure they are wearing identification.
Have any medications and supply of pet food and water inside watertight containers, along with your other emergency supplies.
As the disaster approaches...
Don't wait until the last minute to get ready. Warnings of hurricanes or other disasters may be issued hours, or even days, in advance.
Call to confirm emergency shelter arrangements for you and your pets.
Bring pets into the house and confine them so you can leave with them quickly if necessary. Make sure each pet and pet carrier has up-to-date identification and contact information. Include information about your temporary shelter location.
Make sure your disaster supplies are ready to go, including your pet disaster kit.
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In case you're not home...
Make arrangements well in advance for a trusted neighbor to take your pets and meet you at a specific location. Be sure that the person is comfortable with your pets, know where your animals are likely to be, knows where your disaster supplies are kept, and has a key to your home.
If you use a pet-sitting service, it may be able to help, but discuss the possibility well in advance.
After the storm...
Don't allow your pets to roam loose. Familiar landmarks and smells might be gone, and your pet will probably be disoriented. Pets can easily get lost in such situations.
For a few days, keep dogs on leashes and keep cats in carriers inside the house. If your house is damaged, they could escape and become lost.
Be patient with your pets after a disaster. Try to get them back into their normal routines as soon as possible, and be ready for behavioral problems that may result from the stress of the situation. If behavioral problems persist, or your pet seems to be having any health problems, talk to your veterinarian.
Evacuation Planning...
Your disaster kit should include:
Medications and medical records stored in a waterproof container and a first aid kit. A pet first aid book is good to include.
Sturdy leashes, harnesses, and carriers to transport pets safely and to ensure that your pets can't escape. Carriers should be large enough for the animal to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie down. Your pet may have to stay in the carrier for hours at a time while you have a secure cage with no loose objects inside it to accomodate smaller pets. These may require blankets or towels for bedding and warmth, and other special items.
Current photos and description of your pets to help others identify them in case you and your pets become separated and to prove that they are yours.
Food and water for at least three days for each pet, bowls, cat litter and litter box, and manual can opener.
Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your pets or place them in foster care.
Pet beds and toys, if you can easily take them, to reduce stress.
Other useful items include newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags, grooming items, and household bleach.
Other evacuation tips...
All mobile home residents should evacuate at the first sign of a disaster.
Evacuate to the safest location you can that's as close as possble to home. Long-distance evacuation can be a problem when highways are crowded.
When planning for hurricanes, identify your evacuation zone and level to determine if and when you would have to evacuate. Be prepared for one category higher than the one being forecasted, because hurricanes often increase in strength just before making landfall.
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