How the Pros Handle
Disasters and What You
Need to Know
2014 ACLAM Forum
May 6, 2014
Cheryl L. Eia, JD, DVM, MPH
Assistant Director, Scientific Activities Division
Coordinator Emergency Preparedness and Response
American Veterinary Medical Association
Disasters
FEMA: A Pillot
USGS
FEMA: P. Lynch
NOAA
More Disasters
FEMA: B. Bahler
FEMA Newa
FEMA: M Reiger
Today’s Presentation

Overview of disaster preparedness and
response

Local

State

Federal
All Disasters Begin
and
End Locally
All Disasters are Local
Image: A. Kingsbury, ISU, CFSPH
Organization of US
Disaster Response
National Incident Management System
(NIMS)
 Focus: preparedness, communication,
resource management, incident command,
incident management
National Response Framework
Unified national response
 Uses NIMS
 15 Emergency Support
Function Annexes
 Lead agency designated

Illustration: A. Kingsbury, CFSPH, Iowa State University
ESFs in Animal Issues
ESF #6- Mass Care, Emergency Assistance,
Housing and Human Services (FEMA)
ESF #8- Public Health and Medical Services
(HHS)
ESF# 9- Search and Rescue (FEMA)
ESF #11- Agriculture and Natural Resources
(USDA, DOI)
ESF #14- Long-Term Community Recovery
(FEMA)
Incident Command System
(ICS)
Standardized on-scene organizational structure
 Standardized terminology
 Enables response to be coordinated among
multiple personnel and agencies
 Can expand or contract as needed by size of
incident

ICS Training
FEMA Emergency Management Institute
http://training.fema.gov/is/




IS 100: Intro to ICS
IS 200: ICS for Single Resources and Initial
Action Incidents
IS 700: National Incident Management
System (NIMS)
IS 800: National Response Framework
Incident Command
System (ICS)
Command
Safety
Information
Liaison
Operations
Plans
Logistics
Admin / Finance
Illustration: CFSPH, Iowa State University
All Disasters are Local
Image: A. Kingsbury, ISU, CFSPH
Local Authorities
Responsibilities defined by statute
 Emergency manager works with local agencies
and organizations
 Local agencies include:

Animal control/law enforcement
 Zoning/code enforcement
 Public health agencies
 Emergency management agencies

Animals in the Community
Pets
 Service Animals
 Livestock

More Animals
Biomedical research
 Zoos, aquariums
 Wildlife sanctuaries
 Kennels
 Veterinary hospitals
 Wildlife in surrounding areas

Local Stakeholders








Emergency Management
Agency
Public Health Agency
Environmental Health
Agency
Human
Services/Housing
authority
University and/or
Cooperative Extension
Law
Enforcement/Fire/EMS
Animal Control/Animal
Shelter
Local Veterinary Medical
Assn/Practitioners


Local Livestock Industry
Assn
Voluntary Organizations








Local chapters: Red
Cross, VOAD
Citizen Corps Council
Medical Corps Reserve
Units
Private Foundations
Kennels and Animal
Service Enterprises
Animal feed and retail
enterprises
Concerned Citizens
Laboratory animal
facilities
Source: Animal Emergency Management Road Map: NASAAEP Preparedness and Resource
Management Best Practices Working Group.
Local Resources
Local veterinarians/VMAs
 Local animal control
 CARTs
 Citizen Corps
 MRCs
 Local NGOs

All Disasters are Local
Image: A. Kingsbury, ISU, CFSPH
State and Tribal Authorities

Governor’s Office of Emergency Management


State Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
Responsible agency varies with state:
Emergency Management
 Homeland Security

State Agencies in
Emergency Response
State
 State
 State
 State
 State

Department of Agriculture
Animal Health Official (State Vet)
Department of Homeland Security
Emergency Management Agency
Public Health Agency
State Resources
State Agencies
 Dept. Agriculture
 Emergency
Management
 State Animal
Health Official
Other Resources
 SART
 VMRC
 Resources from
other states
(EMAC)
 NGOs
 State VMA
 Other state
organizations
 AVMA VMAT
AVMA VMAT
American Veterinary Medical
Association
Mission: Improving Animal and Human Health,
Advancing the Veterinary Medical Profession
 Over 85,000 members
 Volunteer-driven


600 volunteers: 7 Councils, 25 Committees
Committee on Disaster
and Emergency Issues
11/01 EB
Develop AVMA position statements on disaster
and emergency issues affecting the veterinary
profession;
 Develop guidelines for the veterinary profession
 VMAT oversight

VMAT History

Hurricane Andrew:1992
Category 5 storm
 Affected large numbers of animals
 Damage to veterinary infrastructure


VMAT Created
1993: MOU with the United States Public Health
Service
 1994: MOU with the USDA/APHIS


2008 Law changes

Two separate organizations
 AVMA VMAT
 DHHS NVRT
 Continued collaboration and communication
VMAT Deployments
Hurricane Floyd 1999
 World Trade Center 2001
 State of the Union Address 2002, 2003, 2004
 Winter Olympics 2002
 President Reagan’s Funeral 2004
 Hurricanes 2005
 Superstorm Sandy 2012

VMAT at 10 year commemoration of 9/11 attacks
VMAT’s Role
VMAT
Image: A. Kingsbury, ISU, CFSPH
VMAT: Organization
Volunteers
 Four teams
 Regionally located
 Each team: 6 person unit on call
 Deploy on state request
 Veterinarians, veterinary technicians and other
specialists

VMAT’s Roles
Early Assessment
 Basic Treatment
 Training


VMAT U
Cost

Travel, housing and
per diem expenses are
covered by the
Requirements

Signed MOU is absolutely necessary
avma.org/vmat
@AVMAVMAT
Partnerships in Planning and
Response
USDA/APHIS/AC
 DHS/FEMA
 HHS
 NASAAEP
 Regional Alliances –
MSP, SAADRA,
MAAEMA
 NARSC
 AVMA & VMAT
 SARTS/CARTS
 Local NGOs

National Alliance of State Animal and
Agricultural Emergency Programs
(NASAAEP)
 Association of State-level programs
 Membership
Regulatory agencies (Agriculture, Public Health)
 Emergency Management
 SART & VMRC-type programs

Forum for communication, informationsharing and consensus among states
 Best practices library

www.nasaaep.org
National Animal Rescue &
Sheltering Coalition (NARSC)






American Humane
Association (AHA)
American Society for
the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA)
Best Friends Animal
Society
Code 3 Associates
International Fund for
Animal Welfare (IFAW)
National Animal
Control Association
(NACA)








Society of Animal
Welfare
Administrators
(SAWA)
Red Rover
American Red Cross
NASAAEP
Petfinder.org
Foundation
Pet Smart Charities
AVMA
AVMF
www.narsc.net
All Disasters are Local
Image: A. Kingsbury, ISU, CFSPH
Federal Response
Request from Governor for a Presidential
declaration
 Allows use of federal resources


May also allow for FEMA public assistance funds
Federal Veterinary Resources

National Veterinary Response Teams (NVRT)
HHS
 ESF 8 – Public Health and Medical Services

http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/responders/ndms/teams/Pa
ges/nvrt.aspx
Federal Veterinary Resources

National Animal Health Emergency Response
Corps (NAHERC)


USDA
ESF 11
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/animalh
ealth/sa_vet_accreditation?1dmy&urile=wcm%3apath%3a/aph
is_content_library/sa_our_focus/sa_animal_health/sa_emergen
cy_management/ct_naherc
Thank You!!
Questions?
Dr. Cheryl Eia
800-248-2862 ext. 6633
ceia@avma.org