EQUINE EVACUATION

GUIDELINES

2003 Cedar, Paradise, Otay

Firestorm
Lessons Learned
10,000 acres per hour, 2.7 acres per second, 20 miles
per hour (3 football fields per second)
16 lives, 2430 structures, 376,237 acres,
$654,000,000 in lost property value
Insufficient evacuation planning and communication
Preplan hazard areas, evac routes, and train to shelter
in place
70% under insured and not being rebuilt

EQUINE EVACUATION
This presentation is intended to assist
horse owners and residents to help
themselves and to help trained
responders save life, property and
animals.
Its your responsibility to be familiar with
safe evacuation procedures and to
evacuate your animals EARLY.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE &
CONTROL VOLUNTEER EQUINE
RESPONSE TEAM (LACDACCERT)
The Equine Response Team is a group of
qualified, trained, certified volunteers whose
purpose is to augment department resources
through the safe evacuation of livestock from
areas imperiled by disaster or emergency
under the authority of the Los Angeles County
Department of Animal Care & Control. The
group also works to educate large animal
owners on how to be prepared in case of an
emergency.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE &
CONTROL VOLUNTEER EQUINE
RESPONSE TEAM (LACDACCERT)
Formed in 1996 in Santa Monica Mountains
122 Members based throughout LA County: Santa Monica
Mountains; South Bay; Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley
Operates under the authority and direction of the Los Angeles
County Department of Animal Care & Control
Trained and certified to operate within County Operational Area
with County disaster response units
LACDACCERT Contact: Mary Lukins (818) 991-8065

County of Los Angeles

Fire Department
THEY have to stay.
YOU dont.
Preparedness is
the key.

EQUINE EVACUATION
When disaster
strikes, it is usually
without warning.
Mobilization of the
forces required to
respond to a
disaster must
happen quickly.
Preparedness is
KEY!!

EQUINE EVACUATION
Decisions must be made:
The Los Angeles
County Fire
Department Incident
Management Teams
strategically deploy
resources and
immediately initiate
appropriate
evacuation
procedures.

EQUINE EVACUATION
Decisions must be made:
The Los Angeles County
Sheriffs Department
must notify residents in
immediate danger, alert
them of the need to
determine a safe exit,
assist them in doing so,
and decide what traffic
controls to initiate to
keep roads accessible.

The California Highway

Patrol will ensure that
emergency response
vehicles can safely deploy
and citizens can safely
exit the area as requested
by the Sheriffs Dept.

EQUINE EVACUATION
Decisions must be made:
The Los Angeles County
Department of Animal
Care & Control will be
informed of areas
presenting the greatest
threat and alert its Equine
Response Teams to begin
strategic evacuation for
horses and animals in the
immediate vicinity of the
emergency.

Local animal owners

must mobilize and
activate their own
and/or neighborhood
evacuation plans
EARLY during the
voluntary
evacuation stage.

EQUINE EVACUATION
Decisions must be made:

Your decision on when to leave is critical.

Time spent on home preparation ahead
of a wildland fire or disaster is critical to
reduce loss of property and life.
Every fire is different!

EQUINE EVACUATION
Decisions must be made:

If and when an evacuation is ordered, the

Fire and Sheriffs Departments desire is
for residents to leave immediately.
Your life/safety is the primary goal.
Quick compliance to an evacuation order
is critical!

EVACUATION PLAN
Do you have one?
Emergency preparedness must be a priority for
everyone that lives or works in a wildland
interface area. Dont rely only on authorities.
Safe evacuation of your family and animals is
your responsibility first.
A major part of your preparedness is to
develop a logical, well thought out and
executed evacuation plan. Discuss the plan
with family and neighbors, and PRACTICE it.

EVACUATION PLAN
Do you have one?
A good equine evacuation plan includes the following:

Identification of at least two

(2) exit routes and a
prearranged destination.
Access to well maintained
trailers, barns and stalls. Post
critical numbers and
emergency contact info at
barns and have evacuation
authority agreements with
neighbors.
Prepare identification for
horses (photos, papers). Tag
horses prior to evacuation and
keep ID info with you so you
can recover animals.

Train yourself and your horses to

load and offload.

Prepare emergency supplies,

food and water for 72 hours.

Equine Disaster Preparedness Kit

including: portable radio, cell
phone/charger, flashlights,
batteries, portable generator,
water buckets, stored feed and
meds, leads, halters, shanks, leg
wraps, blanket or sheet, hoof
pick, tarps, shovel, sharp knife,
wire cutters, water hose, soap,
basic equine first aid kit.

EVACUATION PLAN
Preparation Ahead of the Fire
Unlock barn, stall and
gates.
Prepare and position
trailer and vehicle.
Back your car in the
garage heading out
(windows closed and keys
in the ignition).
Close the garage door and
leave it unlocked.
Disconnect the automatic
garage door opener in the
case of power failure.

EVACUATION PLAN
Preparation Ahead of the Fire
Place important
documents, photo
albums, animal
identification and other
valuables inside your car
or tow vehicle in
advance in case you
have to evacuate.
Have small animal
carriers with adequate
ventilation and water
available.

Keep a flashlight and

portable radio with you
at all times and stay
tuned to your local news
station.

EVACUATION ROUTES &

ASSEMBLY POINTS
Work out evacuation routes and assembly points
with family and neighbors, and PRACTICE.
In the event of a major wildfire in the Santa Clarita
area, no location is completely safe. It is best to
remove horses from the area to avoid repeated
evacuations.
Total evacuation may be impossible in many areas
as narrow roads and limited access restrict traffic
exiting and emergency equipment entering. GO
EARLY !!

SHELTERING SITES
The Fire Department, Sheriffs
Department, Animal Care & Control and
news media will advise area residents of
sheltering sites.
Be aware that no location within the
evacuation area during a wind-driven fire
is completely safe. Select destinations
that avoid repeated evacuation.

EQUINE EVACUATION
PLAN
PREPARE
PRACTICE
GO EARLY (Voluntary evacuation)

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO EVACUATE

WHEN A FIRE APPROACHES
Stay inside your house
away from outside walls
and windows.
Keep all doors closed but
unlocked, windows closed
and air conditioning off.
Shelter horses in place
(Barns, paddocks, outside
stalls, etc). Keep small
animals inside.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO EVACUATE

WHEN A FIRE APPROACHES
Keep your entire family
together and REMAIN
CALM. Remember if it gets
hot in the house, it is four
to five times hotter and
more dangerous outside.

Be aware that fire

IS UNPREDICTABLE
and can turn back
on itself.

AFTER THE FIRE PASSES

Check the exterior and roof of home

and barn immediately, extinguish all
sparks and embers. If you must
climb on the roof, use caution.
Check inside the attic for hidden
burning embers.
Check your yard for burning
woodpiles, trees, fence posts or other
materials.
Have horses vet checked as soon as
possible. (Smoke damage, stress,
colic.)

DURING EVACUATION
Dont turn horses or large animals
out.
Horses tend to run back into a barn
even a burning barn.
Fleeing animals may impede
emergency response vehicles.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON

ANIMAL RELATED DISASTER
PLANNING
Contact the following web sites:
www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh (Horse Report, April 2004)
www.hsus.org Disaster Preparedness, Horse Evacuation
www.etinational.com/docsandforms.html What Do I Do
With My Horse in Fire, Flood or Earthquake
Contact Mary Lukins, Los Angeles County Department of
Animal Care and Control at 818 991 8065 or your
nearest LACDACC Animal Shelter

LACDACC Equine Response

Team Training Program
Completion of LA County Dept of Animal Care &
Control ERT and State Disaster Worker applications
Three Levels of certification requiring a total of 40
hours of training
Level One: Communications and Documentation
Level Two: Shelter Site operations
Level Three: Trailer Teams and Core Team management

49 hours of specialty training and drills

LACDACC Equine Response

Team Training Program
Level One (10 hours)
Orientation (2)
Documentation/Identification Standards (2)
Incident Command System (2)
Fire Safety (2)
Disaster Psychology (2)

LACDACC Equine Response

Team Training Program
Level Two (18 hours)
Completion of Level One
First Aid & CPR (6)
Equine First Aid (3)
Horse Behavior/Psychology (3)
Horse Handling and Control (4)
Radio Operations (2)

LACDACC Equine Response

Team Training Program
Level Three (12 hours)
Completion of Levels 1 & 2
Trailer Loading Technique (6)
Wildfire Scenarios and Fire Safety Field
Class (6)

LACDACC Equine Response

Team Training Program
Specialty Classes (49 hours)
LASD EVOC Towed Vehicle Handling (8)
Incident Management Team (10)
Amateur Radio Licensing (8)
Amateur Radio Operations (3)
Training Drills (16)
Sheltering Management (4)