FORWARD The AVMA Emergency Preparedness and Response Guide provides information for preparing and responding to disasters, and for implementation of the AVMA Emergency Preparedness Plan. The AVMA Emergency Preparedness Plan identifies strategies that will enable veterinarians and animal health technicians1 to respond to a broad range of emergencies, to integrate those strategies into the National Disaster Medical System as part of the Federal Response Plan, and to assist state and local veterinary medical associations in formulating their emergency preparedness plans. The AVMA Emergency Preparedness Plan provides the foundation for disaster response by the veterinary profession through the AVMA’s organizational structure. Natural or man-made disasters may create animal health emergencies that require extraordinary responses. After such disasters, affected local resources may need time to recover before they can resume complete responsibility. Depending on the severity or type of disaster, response to an emergency may be provided at the local, state, or federal level. In such events, the AVMA and its constituent organizations will assist in mobilizing needed resources under the direction of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). It is obvious from the lessons learned in past disasters that the lack of communications, logistics, and a plan to establish health care for animals in disaster areas creates major problems for response personnel and veterinarians. Veterinarians perform vital tasks during disasters, but conflict and confusion result when functions of the veterinary profession are not integrated into the emergency plans of other responding agencies. The AVMA Emergency Preparedness Plan is a flexible plan that is designed to deal with the worst case scenario and can be adapted to situations of lesser severity. The Plan assumes a disaster of a proportion that requires federal intervention, and it establishes a model strategy to respond to such a disaster. To address local emergencies, the Guide provides model operations plans to assist state and county veterinary associations’ emergency plans. The Guide also describes procedures to integrate veterinary services with animal care support that is provided by animal control and humane organizations. Each state veterinary medical association should work closely with the state emergency management agency and use the information in the Guide to develop a plan that is tailored to meet the needs of the state’s populace in potential emergencies. As much as possible, the organizational structure and procedures should be designed to parallel the organization of the National Disaster Medical System, so state and local activities can readily be integrated into the federal response system if it is activated. The AVMA, through a staff Coordinator of Emergency Preparedness, will maintain liaison with and participate in the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). The NDMS is a function of the U.S. Public Health Service, which operates under the Director of Emergency Preparedness in the Department of Health and Human Services. The Guide describes the manner in which veterinarians and animal health technicians with support personnel will participate in the National Disaster Medical System as Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams. In addition, the Guide is a source of information for veterinarians and support personnel who are preparing for and working in disaster areas. It provides resource information on a variety of disaster situations and fact sheets on animal care and handling for different types of animals. 1 The American Veterinary Medical Association prefers use of the term veterinary technician; however, the federal government uses the term animal health technician. To avoid confusion among personnel in federal agencies and departments, animal health technician will be used throughout this document. The AVMA Emergency Preparedness and Response Guide was given to state veterinary medical associations, specialty veterinary associations, state disaster management offices, state veterinarians, state departments of health and agriculture, federal agencies and departments, humane societies/animal welfare organizations, and other interested groups. It is available for purchase by visiting our web site at http://www.avma.org. Although caring for the medical needs of animals during a disaster response is often their most publicized activity, veterinarians also perform other essential functions. In catastrophic disasters, state and federal public health departments will experience a surge in food inspection requirements that will need immediate augmentation by qualified food inspection personnel. In disaster areas, the potential for disease transmission between animals and human beings is always present. In addition, veterinarians can make important contributions to society by evaluating the impact of environmental disasters on human health. Domestic animals frequently mirror the response of human beings in their exposure to environmental contamination. Animals may serve as sentinels and provide medical information that is of significant comparative value, but otherwise is unattainable for human beings. Clinical veterinarians should be aware of the importance of performing necropsies; preserving tissue samples; obtaining blood, serum, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and fecal samples; and obtaining photographic documentation when there is a possibility of environmental contamination. Veterinarians also play an important role in the human/animal bond seen during disasters. It is evident that the human/animal bond provides emotional and physiological support for disaster victims. Owners have difficulty abandoning their pets in times of emergency. Pet owners consider their animals as family members that are entitled to the same care and consideration that all family members will receive during emergency situations. It is not unusual for pet owners to suffer grief and other psychological trauma, including guilt feelings, if pets must be abandoned during disasters. Proper shelter, food, and water with available medical and surgical care for pets and livestock are important to the psychological welfare of humans displaced by disasters. It is difficult to acknowledge adequately the guidance and assistance of AVMA’s secretarial and editorial staff, and the contributions of so many veterinarians, state associations, and others who willingly shared their expertise. It would have been impossible to assemble this Guide without their help. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ∗ Dr. Wilbur B. Amand ∗ Dr. James D. McKean ∗ Dr. Neil V. Anderson ∗ Dr. A. M. Merritt ∗ Dr. Ronald D. Anderson ∗ Dr. Erica A. Miller ∗ Dr. Michael T. Barrie ∗ Dr. M. A. Mixson ∗ Dr. Robyn Barbiers ∗ Dr. Victor F. Nettles ∗ Mr. William Baker, Jr. ∗ Dr. Ben Norman ∗ Dr. Jacob Casper ∗ Dr. Benjamin S. Pomeroy ∗ Dr. Leslie A. Dierauf ∗ Dr. Harry Rozmiarek ∗ Dr. C. Richard Dorn ∗ Dr. Ray L. Russell ∗ Ms. Kathy Good ∗ Ms. Susan Sackett ∗ Dr. Temple Grandin ∗ Dr. J. K. Shearer ∗ Ms. Diana Guerrero ∗ Dr. Philip J. Seibert, Jr. ∗ Dr. Sebastian E. Heath ∗ Dr. Charles L.Stoltenow ∗ Dr. Jan D. Huber ∗ Dr. John L. Williams ∗ Dr. Thomas J. Lane ∗ Dr. Kevin M. Wright ∗ Dr. Robert D. Linnabary ∗ Dr. Jim Young ∗ AVMA Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine ∗ AVMA Council on Veterinary Service ∗ American Veterinary Medical Foundation ∗ California Veterinary Medical Association ∗ Florida Veterinary Medical Association ∗ Kansas Veterinary Medical Association ∗ Maryland Veterinary Medical Association ∗ Ohio Veterinary Medical Association ∗ Illinois Emergency Management Agency ∗ Federal Emergency Management Agency ∗ Office of Emergency Preparedness, U.S. Public Health Service ∗ United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services ∗ United States Department of Commerce ∗ Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services ∗ Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart ∗ American National Red Cross ∗ The Registry of Comparative Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology ∗ Tri-State Bird Rescue ∗ American Academy of Veterinary Disaster Medicine ∗ American Association of Swine Veterinarians ∗ American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians ∗ American Association of Zoo Veterinarians ∗ American College of Poultry Veterinarians ∗ American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners ∗ Animal Health Foundation ∗ National Animal Disaster Coalition i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ∗ Special Thanks to Mr. Steve Hermann and Huntsville Training Associates for providing the picture of the tanker trucks for the cover of the AVMA Disaster Preparedness and Response Guide ∗ Special Thanks to Ms. Kathy Sikora for all of her time, hard work, and dedication to this project ii TAB A SECTION 1 Concept of Veterinary Operations Legal authority - The Department of Homeland Security has the authority to deploy Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT) for delivery of healthcare to injured or abandoned animals and for performance of veterinary preventive medicine activities in the aftermath of significant disasters for which federal assistance has been requested by the affected state(s). The National Response Plan is the mechanism by which the federal government mobilizes resources and conducts activities to augment state and local response efforts to save lives, protect public health, and protect property. The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), part of the National Response Plan, was developed to provide supplemental medical care to victims of