Read an article not too long ago, about how difficult it was to locate, treat and reuinite animals after a hurricane. Made me think about how we would evacuate our horses, (at that time, all the large livestock we had) in case of a large fire, hurricane, flood, etc. Have any of you thought about, or made plans for your animals in case of some like disaster? What do you plan to do? We decided after thinking it over, that we needed a larger trailer, as the one we had would not be able to accomodate all the horses in case we had enough notice to evacuate them. Having lived in several areas where disasters happened, Mt. St.Helens eruption, various hurricanes, tornadoes, etc., I know your first responsibility is to your family, but given the time, what would you do if you had, say, two hours before a hurricane was forcast to hit your area? Just something to think about. Any plans out there? Jan B

-- Jan B (Janice12@aol.com), May 09, 2000

Answers

The last summer we lived in Alaska (1990), our town was threatened and almost consumed by a forest fire. We were about four or five miles from town, on the side away from the fire, but -- you can't imagine how this was unless you've been there -- we'd been watching the smoke and hearing the news bulletins about this fire for days, ever since it started, and it kept getting closer and closer to town, burning several miles a day, jumping all the barriers in its path, including the rivers -- twice the fire fighting crew one of my brothers was on got trapped and had to be rescued. There were over 900 firefighters (more than the population of the town) pouring everything they had into fighting that fire, and they weren't even slowing it down. So we were so nervous and jumpy -- we knew that once the fire jumped the last barriers they'd built around town that it would run unobstructed out to our place in a matter of hours through the dry standing timber (the interior of Alaska is technically a sub-arctic desert, in spite of the standing water -- precipitation is very low). There was smoke everywhere, but when the fire got into a new stand of timber, like what lay between us and town, it would literally explode -- the smoke from it would look like an atomic bomb had gone off, and the sound, even from miles away -- several times I mistakenly thought the fuel dumps at the airport must have blown up, but it was the fire biting into some more timber as much as ten miles from us. And of course there were rumors flying around -- we'd hear that it had jumped the highway (the Alaska Highway -- the last real barrier) and then that it hadn't. Still gives me the willies to think about it. Anyway, I had a lamb and a couple of goats, and some chickens; my friend -- who was even closer to town -- had horses, sled dogs, a couple of goats, rabbits, etc. and she had a pick-up and a horse trailer. So that last day, fearing that it was going to jump and be on us any time, we packed up everything we could get into our vehicles -- she took my animals, as I only had a small car -- and we waited for two or three hours where we could see up the highway (straight and level for miles) towards town. We were praying the whole time, and we found out later that four of the pastors in town had stood at the cross-roads praying -- and the wind turned. The fire only took four unoccupied buildings. So anyway, I agree wholeheartedly with Jan about the need to plan for emergencies. We had several days to prepare, though at first we kept hoping the firefighters would be able to stop it. And yet we really weren't prepared -- when you are in a panic is not a good time to be trying to think of what you need to bring with you. And most emergencies don't give you as much lead time as we had, either. I will add that I got some understanding of what shell-shock is to men who've been in combat -- every time a siren went off for a year or more after that I would jump and get shaky. So this isn't much help as far as laying out a plan, but I can sure see the necessity of one.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), May 10, 2000.

I'm glad you posted this Jan, so many people don't even think about getting themselves out, much less their animals. So here are some things to consider.

First of all, if you or anyone else in your family wears contacts (especially the adults), make sure you're got glasses. Crud is going to get in your eyes and cause problems, you're going to have trouble cleaning the lenses and cleaning your hands, since everybody is going to be relying on you, you've got to be able to see.

If you have advance warning, collect all the drugs the people and animals in your family need or might need. You can't take everything, but think about what could be important. It isn't a bad idea to keep the drugs in one or two locations all the time. All the animal drugs in a box in the barn, all the people drugs in one bathroom in the house. Some things like inhalers and nitro need to stay with the person, but make sure there is a definite place for them so anyone can grab them.

Paperwork. Social Security cards, driver's liscences, car registrations if your state doesn't require them in the vehicle. Don't forget registration papers for your animals. The most important papers for your animals are the rabies vaccination records. Sit down and give some thought to what paperwork would be most important to you and the most difficult to replace. Include your address book. You may hardly ever speak to your cousins Hansel and Gretel, but if you're forced from your home, shelters won't take animals. You may need to descend on your cousins-are you sure you know their phone number? These days you'll also want a back-up disc for your computer.

Clothing. If you have time, concentrate on grabbing outer garments and inner garments. Under stress, especially if wet, people will get cold even in the summer. Inner garments, because think about it, do you want to wear the same jeans for a week or the same underpants? Plus under clothes are something most people don't want to wear second-hand. In a major disaster, in time, the area will be flooded with donations including clothing. You'll be able to get some classy polyester plaid slacks for a change. Make sure you include sturdy boots or shoes and some changes of socks.

Food for everybody. Concentrate on any special needs for the people in your group, remembering that even a nursing mother mother may not be able to meet the needs of the infant given the stress and lack of food and water. High-protein, easy to carry food. The problem will be the animals' needs. You simply can't take a load hay bales with you under most conditions. Don't worry about bedding for large stock, you'll need every scrap of room for feed. Since you probably won't be able to travel at high speeds, and unless winds are a problem, you can tie bales to the roofs of the trailer and vehicle. Just make sure things are tied securely and worry about the dents later. If you can keep some sewn bags of grains or pelleted feeds on hand, they are easy to handle and pack. You may not have time to coffe-can loose grain out of the grain bin. Disaster relief efforts are going to be aimed at people-you're going to have to provide for your animals for days.

Water is heavy and bulky and about the most important thing you can have with you. Every drop is precious in the initial stages of a disaster. For the animals, try and use either a flexible bowl or bucket so left-over water can be poured back into the storage container or use something like Cool Whip containers or your best Tupperware bowl with a tightly-fitting lid so left-over water can be saved. Try and keep water on hand and ready to go, if not, stop now and think about what you can fill quickly and easily if you have time.

For smaller animals, keep crates and travel cages somewhere handy. Watch at rummage sales and thrift stores for them and for bird cages. You might not be able to shove a chicken or a rabbit through the opening of a canary cage, but you might be able to remove the tray and get them in through the bottom. Uncomfortable quarters, but easy to carry away from the disaster. Make sure you've got containers for food and water. Keep them in the cages, along with collars, leashes, harnesses, some baler twine, old newspapers, etc. If you've got large stock, wouldn't hurt to keep lead ropes and halters in the cages too. One grab and you've got a bunch of equipment. Don't forget their food. Also keep some old towels or blankets in the cages. Use them for bedding and drying.

Also it is a good idea to have a bit of clothes line and some pins. You'll need to dry a lot of stuff. A sack of change, both coins and small bills. Some soap, moist towelettes. Flashlights. Bath towels and wash cloths.

Fuel for your vehicle. If you're pulling a trailer, that lowers your mileage, plus most tow vehicles aren't the highest fuel economy to begin with. Plus, you're most likely going to have to travel further in the beginning to get somewhere you can let your stock out. Plus you're going to have to spend more time searching for living quarters, food and water when you have animals. Have a proper fuel storage can (or two or three) ready to go. A few can of oil are a good idea. Also a jug of window washer fluid. Most disasters are either dirty to begin with, or become dirty. You'll need the washer fluid.

Trailers are expensive. Even if you have large stock you may not have one. Give that some thought now. Who in your area does have a trailer? Might they include your milk cow if evacuations are needed? Maybe someone has a large stock trailer, a two-horse trailer and one truck. Perhaps you could talk to them and see if you could put a suitable hitch on your truck and save their two-horse trailer (which would just happen to be stuffed with your stock). Perhaps you have a small luggage trailer your car can pull. Your neighbors might be able to put something in that and free up some space for your goats in their stock trailer.

I'm sorry this is so long, but it could have been longer. This is an important subject to me. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 10, 2000.

Gerbil, that was an excellent post. I'd like to add that with forethought some disasters are avoidable. We need to be careful not to build in a floodplain, for example. And in hurricane and earthquake country, or where tornadoes are common, buildings should be constructed to stand up to them. Maybe you would still have to evacuate, but there might be more left to come back to. In a situation such as my post above, there wasn't much we could have done to protect ourselves from the forest fire, but in other situations a firebreak would be advisable, at least around the buildings. There is probably more -- see Patty's thread about preparedness, too. But I've got to run, so will leave this for someone else to finish!!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), May 10, 2000.

I went to a great emergency preparedness meeting specifically regarding evacuating livestock. This was in Sept 1998. King County (WA)and WSU Extension put it on together. They have a pamphlet available, and maybe even online somewhere...I couldn't find it in a quick search. I also can't find it in my hard files..think I gave it to a cop friend of mine. Anyway, Gerbil said it all pretty much, but one thing I would add is regarding photographs. You should have photos of your livestock, and if you have animals that are sheared, you should have unsheared and sheared pictures. This is to facilitate relocation of your animals should they get out and become lost. (Obviously, you have ear tag numbers recorded, etc.)Certainly do this for your pets, as well. Also you might want to consider carrying a disposable camera with you when you do evacuate, on the very (hopefully) slim chance that you will see dead animals that could be photographed (I know, sad) to show to their owners later. It's a good idea to keep a camera like this in your car, anyway, in case you get into a car accident..you might take pictures.

Also, if you are away during the day (work), you might want to see if a neighbor is capable of planning/executing an evacuation for you in case you aren't home. That might mean having them practice loading/unloading your stock...more so the animals get used to them too. There are a lot of horses around here, so the information at the meeting was mostly geared for evacuating them. Also, where will you relocate your animals if they need to move? We have floods down in the valley, and the dairies take their cows to the fairgrounds. Who do you know that has enough fenced area to receive your stock?

If I find the link, I'll post it.

Hope we never have to use this information, but it's good to be prepared.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), May 10, 2000.

Gerbil's advice is excellent. When we thought we would hve to evacuate last summer because of a roaring forest fire, we readied our small travel trailer with all the necessities. We also have two vehicles and we were home when the midnight call came. For those who haven't expereinced it one quickly considers one's priorities...the animals were our first choice since our kids are grown. However the crisis passed and later folks shared their different choices. LOL Everyone should be wise about this issue.

-- Norma lucas (trooper806@webtv.net), May 10, 2000.

Have been reding this forum for quite a long time... We live on a floodplain. Knew it when we bought it. It's kind of how we got it. If we wanted a place out in the country, this was it, and the owner financed. As far as National Disasters go, where you live, you pick your Natl. Disaster. Earthquake country, tornado country, places where floods have never happened before are seeing them now, same with tornadoes. You live on the edge of a Natl.Forest, you're going to get the heat from a wild fire at least once in your lifetime.

This place is right ON the Walnut River, it runs the whole length of our farm. (somewhere around 24-28 acres) It flooded in '47, about 3 ft. deep up in the house (we live in the Morton bldg. out back-have done so for about 3 yrs.) the elderly couple panicked when the water got to the bottom step in the house and called the neighbors for help. They came down in a pickup and horse and trailor. The pickup washed away with the old couple and 2 rescuers and they drowned. It flooded again in '96, and from the historical averages, wasn't due for a flood like that for another 22-25 yrs. We bought it in '97 and it flooded in Oct. of '99. Broke the record of the highest flood level by about 6 in. We had originally moved in here the night before Thanksgiving of '98. After the flood, we were again getting in here and getting ready for Thanksgiving the night before, exactly.

The rains started on Thurs. afternoon, let up for a while, then again Fri. nite. It rained nonstop from there. Our weather radio started announcing river levels, and Spencer (my husband) started packing up stuff and putting it on benches, which were higher than the last flood level. (Sat. nite) We stayed up all nite packing. We have 5 children, ages 17, 15, 9, 7, and 4 yrs. now, they would have been just a year younger or so then. At 3 am, I realized they would close the roads, and I didn't want the younger ones running loose with the river at the back door, so called my best friend in Haysville, about 30 mi. away and we took the oldest daughter and 3 youngest to her, so the little ones wouldn't be afraid and they so love Barb. The next morning, our neighbors up the road ( on HIGH ground, I might add) called from their church to tell us we were going to flood for sure. They've been here for a few generations and know this river well. After church, they came down and we threw as much as we could think of throwing into the back or their grain trucks. We worked until the river was at our back door. The thing was, I had such a sense of peace about it flooding, I was sure we weren't going to be flooded more than an inch. I made the decision to leave stuff here I thought was high enough, or we could just wash, not realizing that tupperware and some stuff can't be washed after a flood, and the appliances were definitley junk, but I never thought it would get high enough to hurt them. On the way out, I realized all of our income tax stuff was in the house in a desk drawer and so were all of our pictures and negatives and jumped out of the van and got them and put them in the van. The road at the end of our property was flooded (where the people died in '47) and one of our friends was sitting down there to watch that we made it out ok. We took the bridge out. People from where my husband works brought used appliances, food for Thanksgiving, offers of help, they called and let him have all the time off he needed, neighbors and people brought firewood, it was amazing. The Baptist church adopted us for Christmas, and yes, we lost some stuff, but we also found "home" and a whole community of people we fell in love with.

The neatest thing was that we got to see what this river does, the currents and so on, and all of our building plans surround the fact that we live on a floodplain. Our chicken coop is being built on skids so we can pull it up to the bridge, which is at the end of our property, (the road closes before we flood up here) you just basically plan your lifestyle around your local natural disaster. I never want to live anywhere else in the world.

-- Louise Whitley (whitley@terraworld.net), May 12, 2000.