Animal Protection: Small Animal Rescue Strike Team

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Resource: Animal Protection: Small Animal Rescue Strike Team
Category: Animals and Agriculture Issues Kind: Team
Minimum Capabilities (Component)	Minimum Capabilities (Metric)	Type I	Type II	Type III	Type IV	Other
Personnel	Number of People Per Response	6-member team consisting of: • 1 team leader • 5 team members
Personnel	Deployment Duration	Deployment of this team would be for 7 days on rotation; A minimum of 3 teams should be deployed for 24-hour rescue, 1 team per 8-hour shift
Vehicle		3 vehicles – 2 persons per vehicle
Equipment		Each vehicle should be equipped with basic animal capture equipment, including, but not limited to, the following: • Small and large live traps (1 each) • 2 catch poles • Leashes (slip leads and clip) • Stretcher • ID bands • Collars and ID tags • Cages, carriers, and cardboard cat transports (at least 1 per animal) • Appropriately graded NFPA or Cordage Institute ropes • Industrial Lighting Systems and Batteries: (Flashlights to Floodlighting) • Barricade tape • Maps of areas to be serviced • Team communication device (for each team vehicle) (two-way handheld radios with 3-mile transmitting radius) • Home base communication device (for each vehicle) (two-way radios capable of transmitting the required distance) • Cell phone with extra batteries/remote chargers • Human First Aid kit • Emergency Euthanasia Options (gunshot/chemical/ physical) • Animal Rescue Request forms • Animal Impoundment forms • Radio/Activities Log form • Pens, pencils, permanent markers, paper • Clipboards • Plastic garbage bags (for bodies)
Personal Protection		Note: Each person should have with them the following items: • Appropriate Nomex and wildfire survival gear (must be NFPA approved) • High-visibility vest • Gloves (bite/welding gloves and work gloves) • Properly fitted boots (applicable to situation) • Properly fitted PFD with rescue hookup • Properly fitted helmet (climbing and/or hard hat) • Properly fitted goggles • Wetsuit or drysuit • Appropriately graded NFPA or Cordage Institute ropes • Flashlight with extra batteries • Dust mask/respirator • Rain gear • Hat for sun protection • Water/snacks • Other items from the HSUS’s equipment list that may be applicable to the situation at hand
Training		Team member requirements include the following: • Swift Water Rescue Basic Course • HSUS/ARC Animal First Aid Course • Certified Knot and Mechanical Advantage Training • Wildland Fire Training S130 and S190 • Emergency Euthanasia • Training /Certification • FEMA/EMI Independent Study Course: IS-195 Basic Incident Command • FEMA/EMI Independent Study Course: IS-10 Animals in Disaster – Module A, Awareness and Preparedness • FEMA/EMI Independent Study Course: IS-11 Animals in Disaster – Module B, Community Planning • Technical Animal Rescue Training (Code 3 Associates or other approved training source) • 5 years of professional animal care/control/capture experience • Team leader should have additional training and/or experience in supervision/ management level animal care/control/capture
Personal Maintenance Equipment		• Personal Toiletries • Seasonal Clothing • Rx medications • Sunscreen • Other items from the HSUS’s suggested list

Comments:

This six-member team should be capable of completing an average of one rescue every 30 minutes in a suburban setting and one rescue every hour in rural settings. These times would be semi-dependent on uncontrollable factors such as terrain, weather, road conditions, and distance between rescue sites. Number of teams ordered will be based on number of rescues anticipated. Team members should not show up for a disaster wearing camouflage gear. Camouflage gear not only complicates matters if the person needs to be found, but blends in with other response personnel, such as the National Guard. Suggested clothing: Carhart bib overalls. They are indestructible and will protect from bites, scratches, scrapes, and abrasions.


National Mutual Aid & Resource Management Initiative	Animal Health