Compiled Sept. 6, 2008
Major Hurricane Ike Poses a Possible Threat to Florida
Floridians urged to prepare this weekend as Ike moves towards Florida
Sept. 5, 2008 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Hurricane Ike continued today on a general course towards Florida. Though Ike’s exact path remains uncertain, Floridians must prepare for a potentially damaging storm to impact our state early next week. http://www.floridadisaster.org/eoc/PressReleases2008/Ike%20preps.pdf.
Moderate to major flooding is forecast to continue along the middle St. Johns River. For the latest river flood information, please visit the Southeast River Forecast Center
Florida
Radio and TV WFSU-TV/The Florida Channel | Florida TV Stations | Florida Radio Stations
By calling one number, 511, motorists everywhere in the state can find out about construction updates, lane closures, traffic incidents, severe weather reports and Amber Alerts for child abductions. For more information about this new statewide service, please click on: http://www.fl511.com/.
FLORIDA LOCAL VETERINARY ASSOCIATIONS
- http://www.fvma.com/associations/3040/files/Local%20VMA%20051508.pdf
Florida
SART – www.flsart.org
Large Animal Emergency Rescue - http://flsart.org/alert/index_08_02.htm
About CountySART
– In 2004, there was a group of agencies and organization who formed a multi-agency coordination group (MAC) that supported Emergency Support Function 17 (animal and agriculture issues) at the State Emergency Operations Center. This group is known as the State Agricultural Response Team (SART). This group has met quarterly, participated in emergency response activities, and presented training conferences. By working together we have been able to pool our information and resources to the benefit of the participating entities, their personnel, and ultimately the citizens of Florida.
SART strongly encourages the development of countySART teams that can assist your county with ESF 17 issues. Every emergency is a local emergency first and a local team for animal and agricultural issues is needed in each county - http://flsart.org/county_sart/index.htm.
Alabama
SART - http://alsart.org/default.aspx
The Homeland Security/Emergency Preparedness Section of the Alabama Department of Agriculture has been working round the clock to bring Alabama to the head of the pack when it comes to Disaster Preparedness. Disaster Animal Sheltering is definitely a hot topic in the Emergency Preparedness world.
We currently have 2 State Disaster Animal Shelters that will be activated 72 hours prior to hurricane landfall. The primary shelter is in Montgomery, at the State Fairgrounds. An alternative is the HoustonCountyFarmCenter in Dothan, AL. These shelters are available to house both owned animals as well as rescued/un-owned animals. Approximately 3500 companion animals and 1500 large animals can be housed between these two locations.
Preparing Your Livestock for Emergencies - http://alsart.org/large_animal.aspx?sm=e_c
GEMA – Georgia Emergency Management Agency - http://www.gema.ga.gov/ohsgemaweb.nsf/
Georgia Weather Links
National Weather Service - Peachtree City
National Weather Service - Greenville
National Weather Service - Columbia
National Weather Service - Charleston
National Weather Service - Jacksonville
National Weather Service - Tallahassee
Southeast River Forecast Center
National Hurricane Center
Storm Prediction Center
Southern Region Tropical Weather
NOAA Weather Radio frequencies and SAME codes
South Carolina
Emergency Preparedness - http://www.clemson.edu/LPH/emergencypreparedness.htm#eeinfo
SC EQUINE EVACUATION INFORMATION: http://www.clemson.edu/LPH/EQUINE%20EVACUATION%20INFORMATION.pdf
Updated September 4, 2008, at noon
Primary Contact for Information: Mary Ellen Tobias
SCDA Equine Marketing Specialist
Tel: (Office) 803-734-2200
E-mail: mtobias@scda.sc.gov
A list of stable facilities (Horse Emergency Evacuation Sites) is available by contacting:
Clemson
University
Livestock-Poultry Health:
Billie Jones: 803-788-2260; after hours leave message on ext. 700 or call 803-260-6433
Charlotte Krugler 803-788-2260 ext 286
Websites:
www.clemson.edu/lph
www.scda.state.sc.us
www.horsecity.com
FACILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS:
Call in advance for reservations, and/or to check availability.
The Hippodrome – North Augusta, SC – Tim Peterson – 803-278-4785
Minimal charge for stall, bring your own feed, shavings available to purchase on site, you are response for cleaning your stall when you leave. NEGATIVE COGGINS REQUIRED.
The State Fairgrounds – Columbia, SC – Nancy Smith - 803-799-3387, Ext. 16.
You must call between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. Available only if Mandatory Evacuation is ordered by the Governor.
No charge for stall, bring you own feed and shavings; you must clean your stall when you leave, NEGATIVE COGGINS REQUIRED.
Garrison Arena – Clemson, SC – Charles Williams – 864-646-2717
Rates per night according to Arena Fee Schedule, bring your own feed, shavings available for purchase on site, you are responsible for cleaning your stall when you leave, NEGATIVE COGGINS REQUIRED.
FENCE (Foothills Equestrian Nature Center) – Landrum, SC/Tryon, NC – Melissa LeRoy or Patty White – 828-859-9021 www.fence.org
$15.00 per day, bring your own feed and shavings, you are responsible for cleaning your stall when you leave, NEGATIVE COGGINS REQUIRED.
Springdale
– Camden, S. C. – 65-75 stalls - $10 per day, owner to supply feed and hay, bedding-straw only, Current Negative Coggins required. - Contact Jeff Teeter at (803) 432-6513 for availability.
Camden
Training Track – Camden, SC - 50 stalls - - $10 per day, owner to supply feed and hay, bedding available for purchase, Owner responsible for cleaning stall when you leave. Current Negative Coggins required - Contact Paul Anderson at (803) 513-2939 for availability.
Evergreen - Camden, S. C. - 55-60 stalls - $10 per day, owner to supply feed and hay, bedding available for purchase, Current Negative Coggins required - Contact Mike Rahain for availability (803) 422-1845.
Aiken
County
Emergency Stabling
Large Facilities
Buckleigh Farm (Aiken)
Ite O’Higgins
(803) 641-4441 (leave message indicating number of horses and your name and phone number)
125 stalls
Owner provides feed/hay/bedding
Owner responsible for keeping stalls cleaned
$10/horse/day
Some living quarters available (bedroom with access to a kitchen)
No RV hookups
Current negative Coggins required
Storm Branch Equestrian Clubs (BeechIsland)
Ed Bernard
(251) 243-5159
16 stalls and turn-out space for 20 horses
Owner supplies feed/hay/bedding
$10/horse/day
No RV hook-up
Current negative Coggins required
Aiken Training Track
Sally Counts 803-648-4631
Pete Krebs 803-221-8403
Stalls for 20 horses remaining/call for availability
Owner provides feed/hay/bedding
$7/stall/day
Current negative Coggins required
Smaller Facilities
Ann Dearborn – Rumor Has It Farm
803-522-0067
Hwy 17, Windsor
15 stalls and turnout
Betsy Minton
Tow the Line Training
(803) 617-8353
4 stalls, 2 paddocks and 3 acre pasture/call for availability
Free board for one week/owner supplies feed/hay/bedding
Current negative Coggins requires
Ivy Wolf
ivyrwolf@hotmail.com
(561) 801-3471
2 - 14x16 stalls
Feed/hay/bedding negotiable
Partial board $5/horse/day
Full board $12/horse/day
1 BR/1BA furnished apartment available for short term
No RV hook-up
Coggins negotiable
Mary Clauson
803-238-3511
3 stalls and 3/4-horse run-in shed
Susan McHugh
803-292-8525
1 stall
Nicole Rutemiller
813-267-5281
Space for 20 horses (4 stalls and turn-out for 15 horses)
Owner supplies own feed/hay/bedding
$10/horse/day
Current negative Coggins required
Aiken Mile Track – info not available at this time.
Strickland Auction Barn – info not available at this time
Orangeburg Fairgrounds – info not available at this time
Private stabling and pasture facilities available in SC are on file can be accessed by calling Mary Ellen Tobias at SC Department of Agriculture (803) 734-2200.
IMMEDIATE CONTACTS:
Mary Ellen Tobias
Equine Marketing Specialist
S. C. Department of Agriculture
(803)734-2200
mtobias@scda.sc.gov
Dr. Charlotte Krugler
Animal Emergency Coordinator
CULPH
803-788-2260 x 286
Cell: 843-709-2472
Dr. Tony Caver
State Veterinarian
CULPH
(803)788-2260 ext. 237
jcaver@clemson.edu
Billie Jones
Animal Emergency Response
(Work) (803)799-2260 ext. 237
(Cell) (803)260-6433
bjns@clemson.edu
Commissioner Hugh E. Weathers
S. C. Department of Agriculture
(803)734-2190
crsharpe@scda.sc.gov
Becky Walton
Director – Public Information
S. C. Department of Agriculture
(803)734-2200
bwalton@scda.sc.gov
Dr. Linda A. Muegel Connolly
EPC Chairman
S. C. Association of Veterinarians
(803)366-8188
lmuegelcac@comporium.net
Large Animal Rescue Teams (LART)
LART - UPSTATE
Drs. Rebecca and Tomas Gimenez
tlaer@bellsouth.net
864-940-1717
LART – MIDLANDS
Deployed through Richland County Sheriff’s Department
LART – LOWCOUNTRY
Shawn Jones
Senior Project Officer
Charleston
County
Emergency Preparedness Dept.
(843)202-7403 office
(843)554-4700 24-hr. number
sjones@charlestoncounty.org
EMERGENCY WEBSITES – for contact information, agency numbers, recommendations and valuable links:
SC Emergency Management Division -
www.scemd.org
Clemson
University
Livestock-Poultry Health Division - www.clemson.edu/lph
North Carolina
- Hurricane Hanna Initial Summary - NCSART
09.06.08 - As of Saturday mid-day, Tropical Storm Hanna is exiting North Carolina leaving minimal damage and some localized flooding. NC SART would like to thank the professional coordination efforts of the Emergency Programs Division in the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for their due diligence in small and large animal operations during this event. NC SART was kept well informed and coordination lines were constantly open. We need to continue our efforts as Hurricane Ike bears down on the Gulf next week. If you have not registered in the SART Data Base as a volunteer, please do so at this time so that we may have a record of your contact information and capabilities.
Total reported shelter numbers as of today’s report are 179 people sheltered, mostly down East, along with 11 animals. The county breakdown of this effort can be found under our “Daily Hurricane Hanna Report” link. If you are reading this and your shelter information is not included, PLEASE EMAIL MARK HOWELL, PLANS CHIEF, NCDA&CS AT:
mark.howell@ncagr.gov
.
NC SART would like to thank all of the CARTs, county animal response volunteers, county animal shelter employees, animal control officers and industry employees across North Carolina who put in the hours to ensure the safety of our pets and large animals. JOB WELL DONE!
TS-Hanna-Final sitrep.doc
HORSE EMERGENCY EVACUATION SITES
NORTH CAROLINA
Pinehurst Harness Track (Southern Pines) – Current Negative Coggins Required, owner to supply feed, bedding and water, feed store located in town, must sign a release form – call (910)692-8640 for availability.
NCSU Veterinary Equine Research Center (VERC) (Southern Pines) – Current Negative Coggins Required, Available use of stalls or paddocks, owner to supply bedding, feed and water, feed store located in town, must sign a release form – Call Dr. Jim Hamilton (910)692-8640 for availability.
Senator Bob Martin Eastern Ag. Center (Williamston) – Current Negative Coggins Required, owner must supply feed, bedding and water, limited bedding available on site, feed store located in town, MUST CALL FOR RESERVATIONS, if facility is not in use 296 stalls available – contact Keith Whitaker at (252)792-5802 for availability.
Governor James B. Hunt Horse Complex (Raleigh) – Current Negative Coggins Required, owners to supply feed, bedding and water, 485 stalls available, MUST CALL FOR RESERVATIONS – contact Wesley Watt, N. C. State Fair Manager or Sherri Bridges, Horse Complex Secretary at (919)821-7400 or (919)733-2145 for availability.
Western N. C. Agricultural Facility (Asheville) – Current Negative Coggins Required, owner to supply feed, bedding and water, MUST CALL FOR RESERVATIONS – contact Matt Buchanan at (828)687-1414 for availability.
Harmon Field – Tryon, NC – 150 stalls – No Charge, however, you may leave a donation – Bring your own feed, hay and bedding – You are responsible for cleaning your own stall(s) before you leave – NEGATIVE COGGINS REQUIRED – Contact Jason Kilgore at (828) 859-5784 for availability.
• Private stabling and pasture facilities in NC are on file and can be accessed by calling Mary Ellen Tobias at SC Department of Agriculture (803)734-2200.
Louisiana
LSART - Selected Tips for Horse Owners to Prepare for the Hurricane Season
Rebecca S. McConnico, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
Associate Professor, Equine Internal Medicine
Equine Health Studies Program, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University
With the hurricane season upon us, it is important for horse owners to ready themselves in advance for evacuation and other recommended tasks related to hurricane preparedness. The list below contains some selected recommendations for effectively preparing horse owners in areas prone to hurricane damage:
·
Be sure your horse is current regarding vaccinations for tetanus and the encephalitis viruses (Eastern, Western, and West Nile).
·
Network a "plan" with the horse or farm animal-owning neighbors in your parish (get to know your neighbors, plan a meeting, talk through different scenarios, and identify the local resources for dealing with disaster situations) and be prepared to help one another.
·
Be sure that your horse has two forms of identification: (1) Permanent identification such as a microchip, tattoo or brand, and (2) Luggage-type tag secured to the tail and halter (be sure to use a leather halter for break-away purposes). Fetlock tags are useful and can be acquired on-line or from a local farm supply store. Be sure to place your name, address, and phone number (phone # of someone out of state is best in the event of phone outages) legibly on the tags.
·
Be sure to store the record for the microchip number (i.e., Coggins form) in an accessible location (it is recommended to keep a second copy of this information with a family member or friend in a distant location but where it will be easily accessible).
·
If you plan to evacuate (and you should ALWAYS do this if possible) in the event of a storm, have a destination and route(s) mapped out well in advance. It is important to evacuate your horses a sufficient distance from the coast and a good general guideline is north of Interstate 10. January to March would be good months to prepare this plan. Arrange to leave a minimum of 72 hours before the arrival of the storm. The worst thing that can happen to you is to get stuck in traffic with a trailer full of horses and a hurricane approaching. Provide your neighbors with your evacuation contact information.
·
Prepare a waterproof emergency animal care kit with all the items you normally use, including medications, salves or ointments, vetwrap, bandages, tape, etc. Place the kit in a safe place where you can easily access it after a storm.
·
Start early to clean up your property and remove all debris that may be tossed around by storm and hurricane force winds. Be careful of down power lines which can be "live" and represent a danger to people and animals.
·
If you plan to weather the storm at home (this is not usually recommended), there are some general guidelines to follow:
·
The choice of keeping your horse in a barn or an open field is up to you. Use common sense, taking into consideration barn structure, trees, power lines, condition of surrounding properties and the likelihood of the property and structure to flood. Farms subject to storm surge or flash flooding should turn their horses out so horses are not trapped and thus drown.
·
Remove all items from the barn aisle and walls, and store them in a safe place.
·
Have at least a two to three week supply of hay (wrapped in plastic or waterproof tarp) and feed (stored in plastic water-tight containers).
·
Place these supplies in the highest (out of reach of flood waters) and driest area possible.
·
Fill clean plastic garbage cans with water, secure the tops, and place them in the barn for use after the storm.
·
Have an emergency barn kit containing a chain saw and fuel, hammer(s), saw, nails, screws and fencing materials. Place this kit in a secure area before the storm hits so that it is easily accessible after the storm.
·
Be sure to have an ample supply of flashlights and batteries and other non-perishable items.
·
Listen to local radio stations in your area. If Internet access is available, access state-run websites that contain accurate status information (i.e., State Police, State University, State Dept. of Agriculture) and take all cautions/warning serious and act accordingly.
·
Visit http://equine.vetmed.lsu.edu/ for more detailed information regarding horse hurricane preparations and other emergency and health-related information.
“If emergency management is recommending people leave the coast because of pending weather, horses and other animals need to evacuate, also,” Dr. Huston, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine associate professor, said. “When a hurricane approaches, horse owners want to have their animals in the first wave of refugees leaving the warning area to avoid getting caught in traffic and risking overheating trucks pulling trailers.”
Released August 28, 2008
MISSISSIPPI STATE
, Miss. – As hurricanes approach the Mississippi and Louisiana shores, many coastal horse owners seek refuge at the Mississippi Horse Park near Starkville.
“We expect to see a lot of repeat customers from past hurricane evacuations,” said Bricklee Miller, manager of the Mississippi Horse Park and Agricenter. The facility is located on Mississippi State University’s South Farm.
“The horse park is an ideal facility -- far enough from the coast to be safe, but not too far to drive,” Miller said. “It has excellent stalls, arenas, RV hook-ups, showers and bathrooms. It is also a location that is very hospitable to other animals fleeing the storm with families.”
The horse park has 300 stalls and 150 RV sites - http://msucares.com/centers/agricenter/.
“We want people to feel welcome and comfortable coming to this facility and to this community to ride out the storm,” she said. “In past years, local horse owners donated hay and assisted with animal care. Our intention is to expand our care for future refugees by providing snacks and a meal each day.
“These are among the most sturdy facilities available for animals. Most of Mississippi’s agricenters are fairly new and high-quality facilities that will be comfortable for animals and people,” Miller said.
Dr. Carla Huston, an MSU College of Veterinary Medicine associate professor of pathobiology and population medicine, serves on the Mississippi Animal Response Team. This team responds after disasters and in emergency situations to assist with animal care and recovery.
“If emergency management is recommending people leave the coast because of pending weather, horses and other animals need to evacuate, also,” Huston said. “When a hurricane approaches, horse owners want to have their animals in the first wave of refugees leaving the warning area to avoid getting caught in traffic and risking overheating trucks pulling trailers.”
Certain measures should be taken before evacuation orders are given. Animals should have current tetanus shots, and owners should have medical kits packed with supplies for treating cuts and abrasions. Have paperwork such as Coggins tests, photos and descriptions of each animal handy.
“When evacuation orders are given, all people should leave. It’s not unusual to have to leave some animals behind during an evacuation. Make sure they have at least a week’s worth of food and water and some sort of identification on them,” Huston said. “Some people spray paint phone numbers on horses and livestock or use permanent markers on hooves. Identification tags can be woven into the mane to help reunite animals with owners if fencing is damaged.”
Secure all barn windows and doors. Depending on the structure, turning horses out to pasture could be the safest thing for them. Animals will still be at risk from flying debris, and they will need to have access to water and food.
When horses are taken to unfamiliar pastures, they may need help seeing wire fencing. If caught in stormy weather, horses may need some type of eye protection to keep them from becoming frightened and to protect their eyes from debris.
“Most people do not have horse blinders, but other materials can be adapted for that purpose. I’ve seen handlers use life jackets and bras to cover horses’ eyes,” Huston said. “During a time of stress, horses will be prone to specific types of injuries and illnesses including cuts and abrasions, colic and laminitis (lameness).”
For more advice on preparation needs and first aid kits, visit the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Web site at http://www.avma.org and look for disaster preparedness information.
http://msucares.com/news/print/cvm/cvm08/080828horse.html
Contact: Linda Breazeale, (662) 325-1717
Clemson
University
Cooperative Extension Service
www.clemson.edu/ep
SC Department of Agriculture
www.scda.state.sc.us
SC Association of Veterinarians
www.scav.org
American Association of Equine Practitioners
www.aaep.org/emergency_prep.php
American Veterinary Medical Association – Disaster Preparedness Series
www.avma.org
HorseCity.com and Morris Communications
www.horsecity.com
GEORGIA
Over 400 locations available from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency – Equine Emergency Housing Facility list. This list is on file and individual sites can be accessed by calling Mary Ellen Tobias at SC Department of Agriculture (803) 734-2200.
VIRGINIA
Airfield 4-H center, Wakefield, Virginia - 100 stalls and will board on a first-come first-serve basis, Current Negative Coggins Required, Requires waiver of liability, $12.00 fee with owner to supply feed and bedding – contact Doug Chesson at (757)899-4901 (cell 757-613-2480) for availability.
TENNESSEE
Stabling and Pasture evacuation sites are available and are on file and can be accessed by calling Mary Ellen Tobias at SC Department of Agriculture (803)734-2200.
Newsroom Associate
Staff Writer
support@horsesinthesouth.com