Acknowledgement This project was funded through Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The document was prepared by Risk Reduction Strategies of Victoria, British Columbia. Disclaimer Opinions expressed in this document are not necessarily those of Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada or the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture. The Governments of Canada and British Columbia, or their directors, agents, employees, or contractors will not be liable for any claims, damages, or losses of any kind whatsoever arising out of the use of, or reliance upon, this information. The materials prepared in this binder are not meant to take the place of any requirements set out in industry Biosecurity, On-Farm Food Safety, Animal Care or Animal Welfare programs. 2 l Emergency Management Guide for B.C. Small Mixed Farms Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Key Messages ............................................................................................................... 3 Core Concepts ............................................................................................................... 5 Emergency Management Phases......................................................................................... 5 Prevention and Mitigation ..................................................................................................... 6 Emergency Preparedness .................................................................................................... 7 Emergency Response .......................................................................................................... 8 Disaster Recovery ................................................................................................................ 9 Livestock Sensitivity ............................................................................................................10 Feed, Safety and Shelter .....................................................................................................10 Animal Carcass Disposal ....................................................................................................11 Mitigation in Recovery .........................................................................................................11 Template Farm Emergency Plan ................................................................................ 13 Contact Information .............................................................................................................14 Emergency Contacts ...........................................................................................................15 Prevention and Mitigation ....................................................................................................20 Business Management ........................................................................................................21 Emergency Preparedness ...................................................................................................23 Emergency Response .........................................................................................................24 Disaster Recovery ...............................................................................................................26 Structure Fire and Wildfire ......................................................................................... 29 Structure Fires .....................................................................................................................31 Wildfires ..............................................................................................................................31 Flooding ....................................................................................................................... 35 Animal Disease ............................................................................................................ 39 Prevention and Biosecurity ..................................................................................................41 Carcass Disposal ................................................................................................................42 Extreme Weather and Temperature ........................................................................... 43 Extreme Heat / Drought .......................................................................................................45 Extreme Cold / Winter Conditions ........................................................................................46 Earthquake ................................................................................................................... 49 Hazardous Materials ................................................................................................... 53 Utility Failure ............................................................................................................... 57 Electrical Power Outage ......................................................................................................59 Natural Gas Leak ................................................................................................................60 Water Supply Interruption ....................................................................................................60 Livestock Transport Accidents .................................................................................. 63 Additional Resources ................................................................................................. 67 4 l Emergency Management Guide for B.C. Small Mixed Farms Introduction Emergencies can be devastating to a farming operation. This Emergency Management Guide provides a resource for small mixed farmers in British Columbia to prepare for the worst while striving for the best. It provides information on various natural and human-caused threats to any operation, as well as an opportunity for you to tailor responses that your farm could follow in the event of an emergency. While most producers instinctively know what to do without opening a manual, documenting the actions needed to protect your farm is valuable for two reasons: A Farm Emergency Guide helps inform others how best to assist when needed, including family members, farm staff, neighbours, and first responders. An Emergency Guide adapted specifically for your farm demonstrates the "due diligence" you have taken in managing your farm risks. This Guide has two divisions. The first offers general information, consisting of an Introduction, Key Messages, and an explanation of Core Concepts related to emergency management. In this portion of the Guide, you will find information on basic farm preparedness, insurance, response agency roles, mapping, animal sheltering and relocation, carcass disposal, and livestock wellness after a disaster. The second division contains a template that you can use to create your Farm Emergency Plan. It contains fill- ins or checkmark statements with three sections. The first section summarizes your farm's information, emergency contacts, and farm maps. The second section also contains mitigation, preparedness, and response checklists addressing topics such as sound agriculture business management and farm safety, general farm emergency preparedness, livestock preparedness, and livestock sheltering or relocation options during a response. The final section of your Farm Emergency Plan addresses eight hazards that may impact your operation. The hazards are separated by tabs, containing preparedness and response action checklists that you can adapt to best fit your farm situation. This will allow you to assemble specific "action items" as needed. Emergency Management Guide for B.C. Small Mixed Farms l 1 The Guide is designed to be placed in a three-ring binder so you can easily compile and adapt your Farm Emergency Plan. Updates and other materials can be added, or sections can be adapted for use in other farm manuals such as WorkSafe BC. This format invites you to record your own plans for managing emergencies before, during, and after events occur. The goal is to have a Farm Emergency Plan that is simple enough for any family member or farm employee to understand and use. Hard-copies of this Emergency Management Guide are available through your nearest Ministry of Agriculture office. Electronic copies can be found at the Ministry of Agriculture's emergency planning page: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/business-market- development/emergency-management The BC Ministry of Agriculture and other sponsors encourage you to use this Emergency Management Guide to help you prepare for and minimize the impact of threats to your home and small farm, as well as protect your family, employees, and livestock. 2 l Emergency Management Guide for B.C. Small Mixed Farms Key Messages 1 Farmers are ultimately responsible for taking action to protect livestock and employees under their care and control. 2 Preparation of a Farm Emergency Plan shows due diligence on the part of the farmer. 3 Farmers must ensure they have appropriate insurance coverage for their buildings, equipment, livestock, and crops. 4 Family members and employees should be made aware of the Farm Emergency Plan so they can respond appropriately during any emergency. 5 The farmer's first point of contact during an emergency should be the Emergency Program Coordinator