Disaster planning - Equine Emergency Rescue

Disaster
Planning
Tropical cyclones, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, fire, hazardous material spills, tsunamis, terrorist attacks, severe winter
weather including snow storms, blizzards and hail storms. These words strike fear into the hearts of us all.
If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you and they are likely to be involved in a natural or man-made disaster.
Disasters can happen anywhere, any time and can take many different forms, like the recent wild storms and severe flooding in Gippsland and the Hunter Valley, or the Ash Wednesday bushfires. People living in disaster-prone areas can become
desensitised to the prospect of evacuating themselves and their horses but disaster planning begins with the awareness
that disasters can and do occur and planning is even more critical if you have large numbers of horses or mares and foals.
by MaryAnne Leighton
Before a disaster occurs
Being prepared for whatever mother nature can throw at you can mean
the difference between life and death for your horses. Familiarise yourself
with the types of disasters that are likely to occur in your area, be aware
of the different dangers inherent in different disasters and develop a plan
of action to deal with each. Identify the best location on your property to
confine your horses in each type of disaster and be aware that frightened
horses in confined areas may kick and seriously injure each other. The
leading causes of death in horses during Hurricane Andrew were animals
killed in collapsed barns, by electrocution, kidney failure due to dehydration
and by being hit and killed on roads or tangled in barbed wire after escaping from their paddocks.
Ensure your horses’ vaccinations are up to date and keep a note of the
dates when boosters are due. All horses should have a Tetanus Toxoid
vaccination or an annual booster in case they are injured or suffer puncture
wounds during an emergency and check with your vet in case other vaccinations are required in your area. If your horse receives medication of any
description or has special feeding requirements, document the details, add
the name and phone number of your vet and place this information with
your own important personal documents. Prioritise which animals to save
first and be prepared for the possibility of having to leave some behind.
Check your insurance cover and ensure it is adequate. Towing vehicles,
floats and trucks should be well-maintained and petrol tanks should be full.
Motor vehicles and tractors should not be parked in or near your stables
in case of fire, and floats should be placed under cover or in an open area
where trees cannot fall on them. Condition your horses to seeing you wearing bright-coloured, flapping, slapping wet weather gear, teach all horses to
load quietly and have them used to being around other horses and humans
before a disaster happens. Turn off electricity to stables, secure all movable
objects and remove all items from the alleyway in your stables. Store flammable materials outside the stables and inspect and repair electrical wiring.
Depending on the looming disaster, if your paddocks have safe fences
and not too many trees, your horses are probably safer left outside rather
than confined to their stables. Well-constructed stables may provide protection from flying debris during severe weather but horses may become
trapped and killed if trees fall on the stables or if high winds collapse the
building. Remove horses from paddocks with overhead power lines and do
not keep horses behind electric tape or barbed wire fences during a storm.
Permanently identify each horse by branding, tattooing, Microchipping or
by taking photos of the front, rear and both sides of each animal. Keep
copies of registration papers with your own important personal documents
and at the time of a disaster plait a waterproof luggage label with your
name, address and phone number into your horse’s mane, paint your
phone number on the side of your horse’s body or paint or scratch it onto
the wall of one of its hooves. Store a minimum of three days’ worth of feed
and water in a secure area. Cover hay with a waterproof tarp and store
grain in moisture- and rodent-proof containers.
Water
Water is the most important consideration for horses and humans during
any crisis. If you do not already have one, purchase a generator to run
your pump. Power may be cut or water pipes broken so store a minimum
of 50-100 litres of water per horse per day. Line rubbish bins with garbage
bags, fill with water and cover, and fill all troughs and buckets. Keep a
bottle of household chlorine bleach on hand in case your stored water
becomes contaminated. If you are doubtful about the quality of your stored
water, add two drops of bleach to each litre of water in each container and
allow to stand for thirty minutes before using.
Evacuation
Draw up an evacuation plan now, before a potential disaster heads your
way. Identify several locations you could take your horses, for example a
nearby racecourse, showground, farm or stud, and work out in advance
several different routes to get there. Make arrangements well in advance
that your horses will be welcome in an emergency and contact the person
in charge before you evacuate. Stay calm and stick to your plan. Listen
to your radio for storm warnings and evacuation notices. If evacuation of
coastal areas and flood plains is recommended during a severe storm
move your horses before winds get too strong as towing a float in 65
km/h or more winds is dangerous.
During an emergency, there will be a limited opportunity when it is safe to
evacuate your horses and if you are not ready or wait until the last minute
to evacuate, SES officers may tell you to leave your horses behind. Once
you leave your property you have no way of knowing how long it will be
before you can return and your horses could be untended for days without food, water and treatment of injuries. Take all your horses’ important
records, your emergency first aid kit and enough hay and water for a
minimum of 48 hours. Consider extra security measures on your property
to protect your assets from looters while you are absent.
If you must leave your horses unattended at home, leave them in the
area you previously selected as most appropriate for the disaster that is
about to occur, for example, on high ground in a flood or in a paddock
devoid of trees and long grass during a bushfire. Leave enough water
for the length of time you expect to be gone and do not trust automatic
waterers in case power is cut. Do not allow floodwater to be your horses’
only source of water as it is almost certain to be contaminated.
Earthquakes
Although they are not common in Australia, earthquakes do occur and are
one of the most frightening and destructive disasters. Earthquakes strike
suddenly, violently, without warning and may cause deaths, injuries and
extensive property damage. Although there are no guarantees of safety
during an earthquake, advance planning and identifying potential hazards
ahead of time can save lives and significantly reduce injuries and property
damage.
Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of
death or injury and most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, falling objects and flying glass. The greatest danger during an
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Expect aftershocks after every earthquake. These secondary shock waves
are usually less violent than the main earthquake but can be strong enough
to do additional damage to weakened structures and can occur hours, days,
weeks, or even months later. Stay away from damaged areas unless your
assistance has been specifically requested by police or the SES and return
home only when authorities say it is safe. Clean up spilled petrol or other
flammable liquids immediately and leave the area and call the fire brigade if
you smell gas or fumes from other chemicals. Check for gas leaks, damage
to power lines and damage to sewage and water pipes. Be aware of possible tsunamis if you live in coastal areas. When the SES issues a tsunami
warning, assume that a series of dangerous waves is on the way and stay
away from the beach.
Flood
Flood is one of the most common hazards in Australia; however, all floods
are not alike. Some develop slowly over a period of days but flash floods
can develop quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes and without any local
rain. Flash floods often have a dangerous wall of water carrying rocks,
mud and other debris, sweeping away everything in its path. Destructive
flooding occurs when river banks are breached. Be aware of flood hazards
no matter where you live, but especially if you live in a low-lying area, near
water or downstream from a dam. Even very small streams, gullies, creeks,
culverts, dry streambeds, or low-lying ground, that appear harmless in dry
weather, can flood.
Winter Storms and Extreme Cold
Heavy snowfall and extreme cold can immobilise an entire region and
cause unexpected damage and loss of life. Even areas that normally
experience mild winters can be hit with a major snowstorm or extreme cold.
Winter storms can result in flooding, storm surge, closed highways, blocked
roads, downed power lines and hypothermia.
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Ensure your horses are where you left them and inspect them from head
to tail, looking for injuries. Ensure their eyes and legs are not injured from
flying debris. Make sure all horses have fresh water. Walk your paddocks,
check for sharp protruding objects and fallen power lines and remove debris
including fallen branches. Remember that snakes head for high ground
during flooding so be on the lookout for them. Take photos of storm or fire
damage and notify your insurer.
Take care if your horses are untended after a disaster. It is best to put them
into a secure area as familiar landmarks and scents may have disappeared,
fences may be down and they could easily become confused and lost.
If your horse is missing, contact your local pound, vet or animal welfare
organisation. When claiming a lost horse, be prepared to offer documentation to identify the horse as yours. If you find someone else’s horse after a
disaster, isolate it from your own horses until it is claimed by its owner or
checked by a vet. Use extreme caution and work in pairs when approaching
and handling unknown, frightened horses.
Check with your local vet or the DPI for information about any disease outbreaks that may have occurred as a result of the disaster. Avoid floodwaters
which may be contaminated by oil, petrol or raw sewage or which may be
electrically charged from underground or downed power lines. Stay away
from moving water and be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded
as roads may be weakened and could collapse under the weight of a float
or truck. Report downed power lines. Return home only when authorities
indicate it is safe and use extreme caution when entering buildings; there
may be hidden damage and hazards, including snakes and venomous
spiders. Service damaged septic tanks and sewerage systems as soon as
possible to avoid a serious health hazard. Mud left from floodwater can contain sewage and chemicals so clean and disinfect everything that got wet.
After a bushfire check the roof immediately and extinguish any roof fires,
sparks or embers. Check for hidden burning sparks. For several hours after
the fire, maintain a fire watch and re-check for smoke and sparks.
An essential first aid kit
Disaster or no disaster, every horse owner should have a comprehensive
first aid kit. Store it in a clean, dry, readily-accessible place and ensure
everyone knows where it is. Also keep a first aid kit in your truck or towing
vehicle. Your first aid kit should contain:
•A simple and inexpensive book on first aid for horses
•A card with emergency phone numbers - vet, farrier, a friend with a horse
float - anyone you know will help in an emergency
•Rescue Remedy or Arnica drops for shock, to stop bleeding and to help
healing, Arnica cream (for bruising only, not to be used on broken skin)
• A halter and lead rope
• Two buckets
•Sterile saline solution and salt - saline is great for flushing out wounds and
is cheaper and more gentle on tissues than many bought or prescribed
products. Make your own saline by adding one level teaspoon of plain
table salt to 600ml of warm, clean, boiled water
•Two single-use containers of sterile saline solution for cleaning eye
wounds and wounds in delicate places
•A good antibacterial ointment - wounds heal best in a moist environment
so avoid wound powder
• Clean towels
• Sharp, round-nosed scissors
•Tweezers, for removing small splinters, debris, or other nasties, however,
before tackling anything like pulling a nail from the sole of your horse’s
foot, ring your vet as he may find it helpful to see the direction and depth
of a bigger penetrating foreign body so that they can work out which structures might be damaged
•Bandages 10 to 15cm wide and a contact layer to prevent the bandage
sticking to the wound
• Cotton roll, gauze pads and gauze wrap
• Cling film
• Leg wraps
• Latex examination gloves
•Four disposable nappies or sanitary pads which can be used as temporary
‘field dressings’
•A hoof pick, hoof knife, farrier’s buffer, hammer, nail puller or shoe puller
- enough gear to get a shoe off properly and safely
•A small pair of wire cutters, in case your horse is trapped in wire
• A small torch and spare batteries
• A watertight container to hold everything
•Duct tape which is water-resistant, durable and useful for all sorts of things
• A small roll of strong string or twine
•A plastic digital rectal thermometer - a raised temperature could point to
colic or a wound infection
• A stethoscope
•Vaseline - useful for preventing scalding below a discharging wound
•16 cm diameter PVC tubing cut in half lengthways into 45 – 60 cm pieces
for emergency splinting
• Permanent marker pen
• Fly repellent
•A typed inventory card so you can keep track of the contents, and what
you use. It’s a good idea to list the expiry date of key products, so they can
be replaced at the appropriate time.
Also useful
•
•
•
•
•
Fire extinguisher
Tool box
Pry bar
Fencing materials
Chainsaw and fuel