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How To Fireproof Your Barn - courtesy www.equisearch.com -
54 OUT OF 67 COUNTIES IN FLORIDA HAVE FIRES BURNING AT PRESENT!
SUNSHINE
STATE HORSE COUNCIL Data Base for available emergency barns -
Disaster Preparedness Tips - Horse Evacuations
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FL
Divison of Emergency Mangement - Current Conditions
 We
need your help in this difficult time!
Please make DONATIONS
through the Sunshine
State Horse Council:
SSHC has a Rescue Fund
already set up, made payable to
AHOOF-SSHC and mail to:
Vicki Lawry, 116 Hickory Creek Drive, Brandon. FL 33511
Attention: Relief/Rescue Fund.
Further information: email, VicshadyL@aol.com
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We all thank you!
HURRICANE
PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION
National
Weather Service Florida Live Radar (all areas)
HOW TO
PREPARE YOUR HORSES AND BARN BEFORE THE STORM BLOWS IN!
We would like
to thank Robert Meehan,
Member – Palm Beach County Large Animal Disaster Team
for this great article.
The past 25 years have seen
a tremendous growth in Florida's animal population, especially in South
Florida where the tropical climate has encouraged a wide variety of exotic
pets and livestock. Coincidentally, during much of this time there also
was a general absence of natural disasters, especially hurricanes. The
result was widespread complacency among a large and growing number of
animal owners, not to mention local governments.
That all changed in 1992 with
Hurricane Andrew. Since then, the state of Florida has required that county
governments form an extra emergency support function within their emergency
management section to deal specifically with animal disasters.
Hurricane Andrew, Redlands,
Florida – 20 miles inland - Photo
by John Ehmke
© H.A.A.R.T. Foundation & John
Ehmke Photography
Broward and Palm Beach counties
have been two of the leaders in this effort. They have animal rescue teams
on hand, and have worked with animal experts to spread the word among
animal owners about how to prepare for a hurricane, and what to do if
one strikes.
The following information deals
mostly with horses, but specialized tips are available for dogs, cats,
birds, farm animals and exotics as well. Simply contact your county animal
disaster team, which is part of your county's emergency management agency.
You can also request information on how these animal rescue teams operate,
and what would be expected of you, the owner, in the event of a hurricane.
Vaccinations
The very first thing to do and in many ways the most important is make
sure your horse is up-to-date with a tetanus booster and has had a vaccination
for encephalitis, commonly known as sleeping sickness. This disease is
carried by mosquitoes and the height of infection is July and August,
just when storm, hurricane and flood season is at its height.
This disease can kill both
humans and horses, and should not be taken lightly. Horses should be vaccinated
at least every six months, but most large stables do this every four months.
See your personal veterinarian for details.
Neighborhood
Disaster Committees
Most horse owners live in horse communities. Contact your neighbors long
before hurricane season, and organize your own neighborhood disaster committee.
Schedule meetings at which horse owners discuss who has what in the way
of equipment, concrete barns, flood areas, etc., and explore ways in which
neighbors can help neighbors to accomplish a great deal. Contact your
county animal disaster team and they will be glad to help you form such
a committee.
Animal Identification
After Hurricane Andrew, 80 % of the horses found carried no identification.
This made the job of reuniting animals and owners much more difficult.
Veterans of that storm compiled a list of suggestions to help ensure that
your animal can be identified in the confusion that follows a hurricane.
The following list includes a variety of alternatives from which you can
choose:
Evacuation
If you plan to evacuate in the event of a storm, have a destination and
routes thought out well in advance. January, February and March would
be good months to do this. Plan to leave 48 hours before the arrival of
the storm. The worst thing that can happen to you is to get stuck in traffic
with a trailer full of horses and a hurricane approaching. Hurricane Andrew
tossed loaded tractor trailers around like they were match sticks.
By the way, if you choose to
get out of the area altogether, take all your animals. Don't take your
horse but leave dogs, cats and birds at home alone.
Hurricane
Shelter Stabling
Emergency stabling
is available on a limited basis. For a listing of stables, please call:
Sunshine
State Horse Council - Searchable
stable directory
Marion County Animal Care and Control (352) 671-8900
Broward County Animal Care and Control (954) 359-1313
Palm Beach County Are and Control (561) 233-1201
The list of
stables may change at any time due to the projected path and size of the
approaching storm. Call those stables and find out about availability
and any appropriate fees. Do not wait until the last minute to seek emergency
stabling!
Preparing
for a Hurricane
Regardless of whether you stay or evacuate, start early to clean up your
property and remove all debris that may be tossed around by hurricane
winds. If you plan to weather the storm at home, here are some guidelines:
- The choice of keeping your
horse in a barn or an open field is entirely up to you. Use common sense,
taking into consideration barn structure, trees, power lines, and the
condition of surrounding properties.
- Remove all items from the
barn aisles and walls, and store them in a safe place.
- Have two weeks supply of
hay (wrapped in plastic or waterproof tarp) and feed (stored in plastic
water-tight containers). Place these supplies in the highest and driest
area possible.
- Take two plywood boards
and spray paint on one side of each board, "HAVE ANIMALS, NEED
HELP." On the other side of each board paint, "HAVE ANIMALS,
AM OK FOR NOW." Put both plywood boards with your feed supply.
- Fill clean plastic garbage
cans with water, secure the tops, and place them in the barn.
- Prepare an emergency animal
care kit (waterproof) with all the items you normally use: medications,
salves, ointments, vetwraps, bandages, tape, etc. Place the kit in a
safe place where you can get to it after a storm.
- Have an emergency barn kit
containing a chain saw and fuel, hammers, a saw, nails, screws and fencing
materials. Place this kit in a secure area before the storm hits.
- Have an ample supply of
flashlights and batteries, and at least one battery-operated radio.
- Using camper tie-downs,
secure all vehicles, trailers and maintenance equipment.
- Notify neighbors where you
will be during the storm.
- Before leaving the barn,
attach identification to all horses.
- Turn off circuit breakers
to the barn before leaving. A power surge could cause sparks and fire.
- Do not stay in the barn
with your horse during the storm.
- Place a supply of water
and hay with each horse.
Remember, trees could be down
blocking roads, and you may not be able to return to the barn immediately
following the storm. Leave two buckets of water in your horse's stall.
After the Storm
After the storm has passed, roads will probably be blocked or flooded.
Working in pairs, try to locate your nearest neighbor. Here are some other
post-disaster pointers:
- Be very careful when you
venture outside. Live electric wires could be all around you.
- See to your animal's needs,
keeping them as calm as possible.
- Carefully try to clean debris
from the barn, and clear the driveway out to the road.
- Place one of the plywood
signs you made earlier at the edge of your driveway, at the roadside,
with the appropriate writing facing the road. Place the other sign in
a clear area with the appropriate side facing upwards. Aircraft will
be flying overhead, and this will help them determine the severity of
the effects of the storm. If you do not have a severely injured animal,
put the OK sign up. In either case, help will get to you as soon as
possible.
- Watch for fire ants. Ants
will look for the driest place to nest and will move from wet to high
ground when their nests flood. Check your barn/stall walls and feed/hay
areas. Ants will also seek refuge from wet ground on fence rails and
tree branches, so take care when clearing debris after a storm.
- Snakes will also seek high
ground. Do not put your hands or feet in recesses you cannot see. Snakes
will also hide between hay bales and banked shavings.
WHEN NATURE TURNS NASTY
- by Sarah L. Evers
Blizzards, hurricanes, floods,
mudslides, earthquakes, droughts, ice storms, fires—let’s face
it, nature can get quite nasty at times. Not only can our lives be at
risk, but our horses could be in danger, too. After all, they depend on
us for their overall care and well-being. Horse owners and caretakers
can save lives before, during and after a disaster with proper disaster
management planning.
Click
here for this pdf article
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All of us hope we never need
to use this information, but in the event of a hurricane, proper preparation
can help both you and your animals survive the storm.
Information
Sources
Marion County Animal Care & Control (352) 671-8900
Marion County Office of Emergency Management (352) 622-3205
Marion County Agricultural Extension Agency (352) 620-3440
Orange County Animal Services Division (407) 352-4390
Broward County Animal Care & Control 954-359-1313
Broward County Office of Emergency Management 954-831-8740
Broward County Agricultural Extension Agency 954-370-3725
Dade County Animal Control 305-884-1101
Dade County Emergency Management 305-273-6700
Palm Beach County Animal Control 561-233-1200
Palm Beach County Emergency Management 561-233-3500
Palm Beach County Large Animal Information 561-793-3680
Martin County Animal Control 561-287-1656
Martin County Emergency Management 561-287-1652
St. Lucie County Animal Control 561-871-5042
St. Lucie Emergency Management 561-461-5201
Identification Fetlock Bands 561-795-2466
Alphabetical listing of Florida
Emergency Management Website by Counties:
Special thanks go to Broward
County Large Animal Disaster Team, Palm Beach County Emergency Support
Function 17, Palm Beach County Horse Industry Council, Dr. Ford Ransome
and the H.A.A.R.T. Foundation, Dr. Rob Boswell and Palm Beach Equine Clinic
and Dr. Bob Smith with Palms West Equine Hospital for all their help in
presenting this information.
Source of Information: Palm Beach County Emergency Support Function 17
Plan and Broward County Emergency Support Function 17 Plan.
This section
prepared by Robert Meehan, Member – Palm Beach County Large Animal
Disaster Team (561-793-3680)
Additional links:
LET'S
ALL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR A SAFE HURRICANE SEASON!
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