Flooding along the Mississippi River in Iowa. An incident at a nuclear power plant in Minnesota. The derailment of a train full of chemicals in Weyauwega, Wis.
All these disasters could occur or have happened already. In each type of disaster, animals as well as humans require evacuation and sheltering—and sometimes rescue and medical care. The first responders on the scene are usually local- or county-level groups, and the response tends to expand to the state or regional level before any national resources come into play.
Emergency responders from Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and beyond came together April 28-29 in La Crosse, Wis., during the Tri-State Veterinary Disaster Response Conference to discuss animal issues during disasters and other emergencies. Speakers emphasized the importance of planning and training—particularly at the local, county, and state levels—to handle situations ranging from the evacuation of animals during a disaster to the emergency of an overturned horse trailer.
State response teams
Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin each have a state-level veterinary or animal response team. The teams don’t have exactly the same structure, however, and the states haven’t experienced exactly the same disasters.
Dr. Randy L. Wheeler, Iowa assistant state veterinarian, said the Iowa Veterinary Rapid Response Team comprises veterinarians and animal health professionals who report to the state veterinarian when deployed. Members participate in annual training, which counts toward continuing education credits. During deployment, members receive insurance coverage from the state.
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