Articles - Disaster Preparedness

PENINSULA EQUINE MEDICAL CENTER
Horse Owner’s Tips for Preparedness

In the wake of hurricanes in the southeast, wildfires and flash-floods in So. California, and the ever present awareness of earthquakes in this sunny, but occasionally shaky Bay Area, we revisit our focus upon “What do we do if it happens?”

During the Loma Prieta Quake in ’89, many residents on the Peninsula found themselves temporarily without power, phone communications (both cell and land lines) were disrupted or tied up with calls, municipal water supplies and electric-driven well pumps may have been non-functional and communication with emergency agencies (police, fire, and yes mobile veterinarian services) were often impossible since pagers & phone communications were down… As we review the national response conclusions to disasters such as hurricanes Katrina, Rita and most recently Wilma, we all need to prepare ourselves to be self-sufficient before organized municipal and national response teams can be mobilized! So…what can you do to best prepare for an unexpected event such as this?

Here are some tips for your “horse preparedness” to add to the plan you have developed for your family and loved ones:

1. WATER: Horses can consume 20-30 gallons of water daily so if water service is disrupted, you can keep several 5 gal water jugs stored or draw water via pump (will likely need a generator to pump) from a swimming pool or similar water tank.

2. EQUIPMENT: Extra halters and lead ropes in case the primary one is buried in the barn…it’s a good idea to affix a laminated label to the halter with your Name/Horse’s Name/Local and outside-the-area emergency phone # contact/home address. Storing this halter/lead in your trailer or someplace other than the barn may facilitate finding it in a disaster.

3. TRAILER-READINESS: Checking your trailer every 6 months or so will help guarantee it’s readiness in time of need. Check lights, tire pressures, location (not under overhanging tree limbs or under structures which might fall in an earthquake and immobilize the unit), and tow vehicle preparedness are IMPORTANT! Transportation of your horse to a safe haven or even to a veterinary facility for medical care are often overlooked in planning, so if you don’t own a trailer, think of arranging these plans with a friend who does AHEAD OF TIME, and plan how you will liaison with them in the event of need.

4. FIRST AID KIT: Many basic kits or lists of contents for you to accumulate yourselves are available (see our website “Emergencies”) for a list. Basic medicines should be augmented with leg wraps/shipping boots and clean towels and blankets to help administer any First Aid treatments initially.

5. HAY or FEED: The simplest of all is to store a bale of hay or some Equine Senior for emergency use. Trailers are a good storage site but be sure to check that food is “rotated” frequently enough to remain fresh and free of vermin and mold.

6. HORSE I.D. FILE: Keeping a notebook or laminated sheet with picture and microchip I.D. info in your trailer or somewhere accessible can be VALUABLE in aiding you in recovery should your horse be lost or relocated. These along with a halter plate ID can help authorities match and reunite owner and horse. See our info on Peninsula Equine Medical Center Microchip and National Horse ID Program (HORSEtrac®).

7. IMPORTANT NUMBERS: Pre-think and record on a laminated sheet ALL phone #’s you might need PLUS addresses of friends/contacts/emergency locations (should phones be inoperable) and keep with your emergency horse ID sheet. And don’t forget:

- Police / Sheriff
- FIRE Department
- Animal Control
- Veterinarians
- HORSEtrac®
- Emergency radio stations

Murphy’s Law says that once you do all this preparation, and work to keep it current it is likely you will never use it…LET’S HOPE SO!!!

For more information and comments feel free to contact us.

Thank you!
Russ G. Peterson, DVM, MS

Peninsula Equine Medical Center
(650) 854-3162 | peneq@yahoo.com
100 Ansel Lane, Menlo Park, CA 94028

home | about | services & facility | meet the staff
events & seminars | library | newsletters | contact

© 2005-2008 Peninsula Equine