This presentation details the elements and process used by the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association in cooperation with regional government to build human resources for animal response capacity via the Citizen Corps CERT Program

2. CERT:
A Mechanism For Animal Response
Capacity Building
2009 National Conference on Community
Preparedness:
The Power of Citizen Corps
August 11, 2009
Arnold L. Goldman DVM, MS
Capitol Region Emergency Planning Committee
Connecticut Veterinary Medical Foundation

3. CT Hurricane Tracks: 1851 - 2005

4. Overview of Issue:
Safeguarding the public in a disaster may
require evacuation
Safe and orderly evacuations require attention
to the needs of the evacuees, as they
themselves perceive them (“special needs”)
The status of domestic animals has evolved
with many Americans cherishing their animals
as they do human family members

5. Overview of Issue:
Ignoring the needs of animals inhibits
evacuation, is a public relations disaster
for emergency management and creates
unnecessary complications for recovery
A credible, credentialed capacity to manage
animal issues in disasters must be created
in advance, in as thoughtful a manner as are
all other response capabilities

6. Government’s Interest in Animals In Disasters
:
• Government is responsible for the publics health & safety in
evacuations.
• Failure-to-Evacuate due to animal ownership is an
acknowledged concern.
• Government now shares responsibility for evacuee-owned
household pets in evacuations.
• While the primary concern is overwhelmingly about people,
it is recognized that protecting pets helps protect people.

7. Magnitude of the Challenge
•59% Households Include Companion Animals
•Average of 2.6 Animals Per Pet-Owning Household
•If 10% of Evacuees Seek Public Shelter:
50 Animals Per 100 Persons

8. Legal Requirements & Incentives
Pet Evacuation & Transportation Standards
Act of 2006
Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform
Act of 2006
State & Local Legislation:
CT, CA, FL, HI, IL, LA, ME, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY,TX, VA, VT

9. Pet Evacuation & Transportation
Standards Act of 2006

10. “PETS” Act
“the (FEMA) Director shall ensure that such (state
& local) plans take into account the needs of
individuals with household pets and service
animals following a major disaster or emergency.”

11. Post-Katrina Emergency Management
Reform Act of 2006

12. PKEMRA
“Authorizes the provision of rescue, care,
shelter, and essential needs to individuals
with household pets and service animals
and to such animals.”

13. Understanding Connecticut
Home Rule State
169 Municipalities & 2 Tribal Nations
No County Government
5 Preparedness Regions

14. Understanding Connecticut
After 1958 After 1970

15. Connecticut Preparedness Regions
Voluntary !

16. Connecticut Authority
•Municipal Participation in Regional Collaboration Is Voluntary.
•Example: “CREPC”:
Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG)
represents 29 cities & towns.
CRCOG administers preparedness collaboration
for the Capitol Region Emergency Planning Committee
(CREPC) which represents the 29 CRCOG cities &
towns, plus 12 more.

17. Connecticut Public Act 07-11
“An Act Concerning Evacuation of
Pets & Service Animals”

18. Connecticut “Pets Act”
No town or city of the state shall be eligible for any state or
federal benefits until such town or city has submitted
to the commissioner an emergency plan of operations
which includes:
(i) measures to be taken in preparation for anticipated
attack, major disaster or emergency, including
(ii) the nonmilitary evacuation of the civilian population,
pets and service animals;

19. Connecticut Animal Planning
Companion Animals Regionally Addressed
Food Animals & Livestock Addressed by the
Connecticut Department of Agriculture:
Lead Agency in Animal Disease Emergencies
•Foreign animal diseases in cooperation with the
United States Department of Agriculture
•Zoonotic diseases in cooperation with the
Connecticut Department of Public Health

20. Companion Animal Response
Public-Private Partnership

21. Animal Response Elements:
What Resources? Why CERT?
• Credible Leadership
• Volunteer Responders
• “Insurable” Training & Credentialing
• Mission Specific Equipment
• Integrated Command Structure

22. The Veterinary Profession’s Duty
• The late Calvin Schwabe, an
internationally known
veterinary epidemiologist, in
his book “What Should A
Veterinarian Do?”, argued
that a veterinarian’s education
conferred a broad
responsibility to share our
expertise with society.

23. Veterinarian’s Oath
• Being admitted to the profession of
veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear
to use my scientific knowledge and
skills for the benefit of society through
the protection of animal health, the relief of
animal suffering, the conservation of animal
resources, the promotion of public health, and
the advancement of medical knowledge.
• I will practice my profession conscientiously,
with dignity, and in keeping with the
principles of veterinary medical ethics.
• I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual
improvement of my professional knowledge and
competence.

24. Professional Responsibility
Veterinary students are taught that “Professional
Responsibility” refers both to the responsibility of the
profession, as well as to the individual professional.
A sense of an obligation of service is inculcated throughout
the veterinary curriculum
Leadership in animal welfare and public health are
encouraged as the way to fulfill this collective responsibility.

25. Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association
• Professional society of 630+ veterinarians.
• Represents >90 % of Connecticut’s practicing
veterinarians.
• Primary functions include providing
professional education, professional
networking and subject matter expertise to
individuals and organizations.

26. Connecticut
State Animal Response Team
Program
• CVMA collaborates with state & local
(regional) government, to sustain the
Connecticut State Animal Response Team
Program (CTSART).
• The CTSART program utilizes CERT as its
fundamental organizational framework.
• CTSART is composed of five CERT’s, each
operating as a Regional Animal Response
Team.

27. Credible Leaders…

28. Preparedness Region 1
Dr. Sheldon Yessenow
Region 1 ART Team Leader
Mr. Richard Fournier
DEMHS Region 1 Coordinator

29. Preparedness Region 2
Dr. Chris Gargamelli
Region 2 ART Team Leader
Mr. Roy Piper
DEMHS Region 2 Coordinator

30. Preparedness Region 3
Dr. Arnold L Goldman
Region 3 ART Team Leader
Mr. Thomas Gavaghan
DEMHS Region 3 Coordinator

31. Preparedness Region 4
Dr. Dennis Thibeault
Region 4 ART Team Leader
Mr. Anthony Scalora
DEMHS Region 4 Coordinator

32. Preparedness Region 5
Dr. Donna Cobelli
Region 5 ART Team Leader
Mr. Robert Kenney
DEMHS Region 5 Coordinator

33. Volunteer Responders…

34. Volunteer Responders
•Typical CERT Member Wants to Help In Any Way Able
•Many (59%) Own Animals Themselves And Intuitively
Understand the Importance of the Issue
•Many CERT Members Willing To Add Animal Response to
Their Local CERT Repertoire
•For Citizens Already Passionate About Animals, The
Animal Response Mission Is What Attracts Them to CERT

35. Connecticut Municipal CERT’s

36. Volunteer Responders
Multiple Sources of Volunteers:
•Existing CERT’s
•First Responder Community
•Animal Control
•Veterinary Associations
•Veterinary Technicians & Assistants
•Dog & Cat Club Members
•Equine & Agriculture Organizations
•Animal Welfare Organizations
•Members of the Public

37. “Insurable” Training & Credentialing
• Connecticut Title 28 Defines the
Legal Framework in Which Civilian
Volunteers May Serve Government
in Emergencies
• The Connecticut Attorney General
in a July, 2006 finding, clarified for
the Commissioner of the
Department of Homeland Security
& Emergency Management that
CERT qualifies as a Title 28-
protected “Civilian Preparedness
Force”

38. Civilian Preparedness Force
• “During training and participation in civil
preparedness activities, Title 28 provides
compensation for death, disability or injury.”
• “Volunteers are immune from liability for actions
taken in the course of their civil preparedness
duties, except for willful misconduct.”
• Title 28 Protections apply to trained, credentialed
CERT volunteers during further training,
exercises or deployments, only when these
activities are officially sanctioned.

39. Training…

40. Training…
Basic CERT
Animal Behavior, Safe Handling & Restraint
Animal First Aid
Animal Agriculture / Animal Disease Overview
Bio-safety & HazMat / PPE Awareness

41. Mission Appropriate Equipment…

42. Equine Response Unit
Dr. Peter Conserva Equine Response Unit
Large Animal Coordinator
Basic Training for Municipal CERT’s, Community Groups,
Municipal Fire Departments and Public Outreach

43. Integrated Command Structure

44. Integrated Command Structure

45. Mission…

46. Mission…

47. Operations
One Goal is to Minimize Labor Intensive & Hazardous “Rescue”
CTSART MRC-VC
Field Search &
Evacuation Triage
Assessment “Rescue”
Veterinary
Shelter Services
Assessment ACO Authority
&
Co-located Triage
Request Responsibility
primary veterinary
resources
evacuation Assist human medical care
shelters Large animal rescue teams
response Facilitate
Feeding / hygiene Evacuate transfer for
animals as higher level care
Secondary
workload
shelters
permits

48. CTSART CERT Summary
• A Credible, Flexible Programmatic Framework
• Integrates With State, County & Local All Hazards -
- All Disciplines Planning & Response Mechanisms
• Utilizes the “Local Response is First & Best” Principle of
Emergency Management
• A Good Fit For Public-Private Animal Response Teams,
as Common Training Ensures People-First Focus
•Utilizes Available Subject Matter Expertise in Leadership

49. Helping People By Helping With Their Animals
More Information: www.ctsart.org
Make Contact at: ctsart@ctvet.org