Animals in Disasters/Module A, Unit 3

Animals in Disasters
MODULE A The Four Phases of
UNIT 3 Emergency Management

Overview This unit covers ways in which emergency management can be

applied to individuals and communities. It implies that much of what
will happen in an emergency or a disaster can be predicted. This
knowledge allows individuals and communities to anticipate the types
of disasters that are likely to affect them, and to think of ways to
reduce the impact, or prevent disasters altogether.

Family and community disaster preparedness is often referred to as

emergency preparedness, and involves thinking about hazards that
threaten your safety at home and in your community and developing a
preparedness plan for your family. For many, animals are an
important part of their families and their livelihood. Therefore,
animals should be included in a preparedness plan.

Objectives Upon completion of this unit you should be able to:

 Define emergency management

 Define the four phases of emergency management and
describe activities associated with each phase
 Describe the organization of emergency management at the
local, State and Federal levels
 Discuss the ways in which emergency management at the
local, State and Federal levels work together and form a
partnership

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Historical Emergency management was institutionalized in 1979 with the

creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
background on Five Federal agencies that dealt with many types of emergencies
emergency consolidated to form FEMA. Since that time, many State and local
management organizations have changed the names of their organizations to
include the words: emergency management.

The name change indicates a change in orientation from specialized

preparedness for single or narrowly defined categories of hazards
toward an all-hazards approach that includes potential threats to life
and property through environmental and technological hazards, and
domestic and foreign attacks. This change reflects not a reduction in
security, but an increased emphasis on making the nation’s
emergency management capability responsive to any major
emergency.

The concept of emergency management consists of three interrelated

components, as shown in this table.

All types of hazards There are many common features of

technological and natural disasters and
attack, suggesting that many of the
same management strategies can apply
to all emergencies.
An emergency management Finding resources for disaster
partnership management requires a partnership
among all levels of government (local,
State, and Federal) and the private
sector (business and industry,
voluntary organizations, and the
public). This approach also allows the
disaster victims to contribute to
emergency management solutions.
Emergency managers and the animal-
care community can collaborate in
such a partnership.
An emergency life cycle Disasters do not just appear one day —
they exist throughout time and have a
life cycle of occurrence. This cycle is
matched by a series of management
phases: establish strategies to mitigate
hazards; prepare for and respond to
emergencies; and recover from effects.

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Legal Many States require that local jurisdictions provide for the position of
emergency program manager. At each level of government, laws
responsibilities define the responsibility and authority of emergency managers and
management programs.

If you know how emergency management works at the various

governmental levels, you can coordinate your personal preparedness
plans with official community plans. You may even become a part of
your local or State emergency management program. Coordination of
knowledge, resources and expertise between government officials and
the private sector is a basic principle of emergency management.

The four phases of Since World War II emergency management has focused primarily on
preparedness. Often this involved preparing for enemy attack.
emergency Community preparedness for all disasters requires identifying
management resources and expertise in advance, and planning how these can be
used in a disaster. However, preparedness is only one phase of
emergency management. Current thinking defines four phases of
emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and
recovery. There are entire courses on each of these phases.

The following diagram illustrates the four phases of emergency

management.

The Four Phases of Emergency Management

Mitigation
Mitigation

Recovery
Recovery Preparedness
Preparedness

Response
Response

The following table briefly describes each of these phases.

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The Four Phases of Emergency Management

Mitigation  Includes any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the
Preventing future chance of an emergency happening, or reduce the damaging
emergencies or effects of unavoidable emergencies.
minimizing their effects  Buying flood and fire insurance for your home is a mitigation
activity.
 Mitigation activities take place before and after
emergencies.

Preparedness  Includes plans or preparations made to save lives and to help

Preparing to handle an response and rescue operations.
emergency  Evacuation plans and stocking food and water are both
examples of preparedness.
 Preparedness activities take place before an emergency
occurs.

Response  Includes actions taken to save lives and prevent further

Responding safely to an property damage in an emergency situation. Response is
emergency putting your preparedness plans into action.
 Seeking shelter from a tornado or turning off gas valves in an
earthquake are both response activities.
 Response activities take place during an emergency.

Recovery  Includes actions taken to return to a normal or an even safer

Recovering from an situation following an emergency.
emergency  Recovery includes getting financial assistance to help pay for
the repairs.
 Recovery activities take place after an emergency.

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Mitigation This phase includes any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce
the likelihood of occurrence, or reduce the damaging effects of
unavoidable hazards. Mitigation activities should be considered long
before an emergency.

For example, to mitigate fire in your home, follow safety standards in

selecting building materials, wiring, and appliances. But, an accident
involving fire could happen. To protect yourself and your animals
from the costly burden of rebuilding after a fire, you should buy fire
insurance. These actions reduce the danger and damaging effects of
fire.

Preparedness This phase includes developing plans for what to do, where to go, or
who to call for help before an event occurs; actions that will improve
your chances of successfully dealing with an emergency. For
instance, posting emergency telephone numbers, holding disaster
drills, and installing smoke detectors are all preparedness measures.
Other examples include identifying where you would be able to
shelter your animals in a disaster. You should also consider preparing
a disaster kit with essential supplies for your family and animals.

Response Your safety and well-being in an emergency depend on how prepared

you are and on how you respond to a crisis. By being able to act
responsibly and safely, you will be able to protect yourself, your
family, others around you and your animals. Taking cover and
holding tight in an earthquake, moving to the basement with your pets
in a tornado, and safely leading horses away from a wildfire are
examples of safe response. These actions can save lives.

Recovery After an emergency and once the immediate danger is over, your
continued safety and well-being will depend on your ability to cope
with rearranging your life and environment. During the recovery
period, you must take care of yourself and your animals to prevent
stress-related illnesses and excessive financial burdens. During
recovery, you should also consider things to do that would lessen
(mitigate) the effects of future disasters.

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What makes Emergency management works when you and your local, State and
Federal government fulfill emergency management responsibilities.
emergency Voluntary organizations also have important responsibilities during
management disasters. This next section describes responsibilities at each of these
work? levels.

Personal responsibilities Animals owners have the ultimate responsibility for their animals.
Community disaster preparedness plans try to incorporate the care of
animals and their owners in their plans, but plans can only coordinate
care — they cannot always provide it. The best way to be prepared is
to create a personal emergency plan that includes provisions to care
for your animals. You can learn how to prepare such a plan from your
local American Red Cross office, your local emergency management
agency and numerous other groups. Some classes are listed in the
appendix. Once you develop your personal emergency management
plan, you may:
 Be prepared to deal with the four phases of most
emergencies;
 Find it much easier to understand the actions of official
emergency managers; and
 Help with the official response.

Local government Local governments make plans and provide resources to protect their
responsibilities citizens from the hazards that threaten their communities. This is
done through mitigation activities, preparedness plans, response to
emergencies, and recovery operations. Wherever you live within the
United States, a county or municipal agency has been designated as
your local emergency management agency. The local government
level is the most important at which to develop emergency
management plans because local governments serve as the link
between you and the State and Federal agencies in the emergency
management network.

Local law will specify a chain of command in emergencies. It will

spell out who reports to whom. The chief executive officer or
jurisdiction manager is charged with creating effective emergency
services.

The following table lists responsibilities of local governments in

terms of emergency management.

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Local Government Responsibilities

 Identifying hazards and assessing their potential risk to the community.
 Determining the community’s capability to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and
recover from major emergencies.
 Identifying and employing methods to improve the community’s emergency
management capability through efficient use of resources, improved coordination, and
cooperation with other communities and with the State and Federal governments.
 Establishing mitigation measures such as building codes, zoning ordinances, or land-use
management programs.
 Developing and coordinating preparedness plans.
 Establishing warning systems.
 Stocking emergency supplies and equipment.
 Educating the public and training emergency personnel.
 Assessing damage caused by the emergency.
 Activating response plans and rescue operations.
 Ensuring that shelter and medical assistance are provided.
 Recovering from the emergency and helping citizens return to normal life as soon as
possible.

You can assist your community in developing and improving

community disaster plans for the care of animals and their owners by
doing the following.
 Find out who your emergency manager and animal industry
representatives are;
 Determine how these groups perceive hazards in your
community;
 Review with the emergency manager and animal-care groups
in your community the most important areas of need to
provide care for animals and their owners in disasters; and
 Determine where you might fit in and be able to help your
community as a whole.

Working with local emergency managers before a disaster strikes can

help all animal owners during a disaster.

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State government The State emergency management office is responsible for protecting
responsibilities communities and citizens within the State. The State office carries out
statewide emergency management activities, helps coordinate
emergency management activities involving more than one
community, or assists individual communities when they need help. If
any community lacks the resources needed to protect itself or to
recover from a disaster, the State may help with money, personnel, or
other resources.

Financial assistance is available on a supplemental basis through an

application process. The Governor reviews the local government’s
application, studies the damage estimates and, if appropriate, declares
the area a State disaster. This official declaration makes State
resources available. However, if damages are so extensive that the
combined local and State resources are not sufficient, the Governor
applies to the President for Federal disaster assistance. If the need for
Federal assistance funds is justified, the President issues a major
disaster declaration and Federal resources are made available. This
system ensures that the State and Federal limited resources are used
wisely and fairly, and the needs of disaster victims are met.

State emergency management offices often have various names and

procedures for operating. Titles commonly used include Emergency
Management, Civil Defense, Civil Preparedness, and Disaster
Services. In this text, the term emergency management is used to
refer to these State offices. The State is the pivotal point between
policy guidance and resources available at the Federal level and the
implementation of comprehensive emergency management programs
at the local level.

Federal government At the Federal level of government, the Federal Emergency

responsibilities Management Agency (FEMA) is involved in mitigation,
preparedness, response, and recovery activities. FEMA helps the
States in several ways. FEMA provides the following programs:
 Training programs and research information on the latest
mitigation measures;
 Review and coordination of State emergency plans;
 Financial assistance;
 Flood insurance to individuals and businesses in communities
that join the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP);

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 Subsidies to State and local offices of emergency

management for maintaining emergency management
programs;
 Guidance and coordination for plans to warn and protect the
nation in national security emergencies; and
 Coordination of services for disaster response and recovery
activities.

In addition, FEMA may provide supplemental resources when

communities and States do not have sufficient resources to protect or
assist their citizens, restore essential services that can get the local
economy going again, and meet disaster-related needs of individuals.

FEMA is your principal source of Federal assistance for education in

disaster management. It provides a variety of training opportunities,
including this course. Many of FEMA’s courses are taught through
your State emergency management agency. FEMA also provides
classroom instruction and operates the National Emergency Training
Center which offers higher level courses in emergency management.

Voluntary agencies and One of the most important voluntary organizations in terms of
organizations disasters is the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross is a
humanitarian organization, chartered by Congress and led by
volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters. Each local
chapter is responsible for providing disaster relief services in the
community it serves. In large-scale disasters, volunteers from across
the country may respond. The American Red Cross provides
individuals and families with food, shelter, first aid, clothing,
bedding, medicines and other services.

Voluntary organizations like the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities,

Mennonite Disaster Services, and other local church and civic
organizations often help disaster victims by distributing food,
medicine, and supplies, and by providing temporary shelter. Many
voluntary organizations also conduct fund-raising drives to provide
financial assistance to disaster victims.

The following table summarizes the responsibilities for emergency

management at various levels.

Emergency Management

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The goal of emergency management is to provide protection from all hazards for the citizens,
properties, and governments within the United States. Effective emergency management includes
a functional approach to all emergencies, cooperative planning, appropriate use of resources, and
shared responsibilities among the three levels of government.
 Personal disaster preparedness is the first and most effective intervention to reduce the
impact of disasters.
 The local government is responsible for emergency planning response and continued
assessment of its ability to protect citizens and property within the community.
 In some States, there are several layers between the local and the State level. You must
become familiar with your State’s structure.
 The State government is responsible for assisting the communities within the State by
reviewing plans and providing guidance. The State government also makes plans and
assesses its capability to provide protection from large-scale, statewide disasters.
 A State will assist communities within the State that do not have adequate resources to
protect themselves or to recover from disaster.
 The Federal government is responsible for assisting the States by reviewing plans,
providing guidance, making plans and assessing their capability to provide protection
from large-scale, nationwide disasters. It supplements State assistance when State and
local resources are insufficient to complete recovery. In the event of a response to a
Federally declared disaster, FEMA acts primarily in a coordinating role.

Scenario To understand how emergency management is applied at the local

level and how it relates to you as an individual, let’s look at an
imaginary community and some of its emergency management
activities. We’ll call the community Centerville. It is a medium-sized
town of 20,000 people, located alongside a river.

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Centerville: One of the major hazards that threatens Centerville is flooding.

Centerville joined the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) by
The four phases in adopting a local ordinance to regulate building activities in the flood-
action prone areas. Because of this, any resident or property owner is
eligible to purchase Federal flood insurance. The Centerville Town
Council appointed an emergency manager to prepare plans that
included a warning system, evacuation plans, and emergency
response teams to help move people and their animals to safety from
the low-lying areas of the community.

There are several farms with livestock in floodplains. The emergency

manager distributed flood preparedness information, presented public
and school programs on flood hazards and preparedness, and
encouraged citizens and businesses in the community to buy flood
insurance provided by the NFIP through property insurance
companies and agents. The local government and the Red Cross pre-
identified shelter sites and offered first aid and shelter operations
courses to the public. Representatives from the local animal-care
community also identified fencing, cage and feed suppliers in the area
that were willing to help farmers and pet owners in the event of major
flood. In cooperation with the National Weather Service and the
State, Centerville installed a series of river gauges at certain points
along the river to monitor water levels and provide an advance
warning system.

One spring, a major flood struck Centerville. Warnings were

issued, and response teams quickly followed emergency plans
and procedures. Early in the incident, most owners moved
with their pets to stay temporarily with friends and family in
nearby towns. Farmers and horse owners also moved their
animals to higher ground. One swine producer decided to send
his finishing hogs to slaughter early. For those farmers that
could not move their cattle to higher ground, the State
Department of Transportation was called to help coordinate
the evacuation of several hundred cattle from farms in areas
that would be most severely flooded. At the same time,
citizens in threatened areas were evacuated to Red Cross
emergency shelters. The local humane shelter set up an
emergency shelter for pets with cages supplied from a local
pet supermarket and another shelter for horses at the county
fairgrounds. Veterinarians and animal control personnel
supervised the admission and health status of all animals. No
lives were lost and only minor injuries
occurred. However, damage to homes, businesses, and
farmlands were extensive.

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The amount of damage and economic loss was

quickly estimated by local disaster assessment
teams. These teams worked closely with the
county extension educators, local veterinarians
and the humane association, to assess damages to
farms and other properties caring for animals.
The Mayor contacted the State’s office of
emergency management and gave the damage
report. The State contacted FEMA with the
damage report, and requested a joint Federal,
State, and local assessment. Based on the results
of the joint
assessment, the Governor requested a Presidential declaration of
major disaster through FEMA. The President declared Centerville a
major disaster area and authorized release of Federal disaster
assistance funds.

FEMA, in coordination with the State and local governments,

established a disaster assistance hotline and disaster recovery center
in Centerville where its citizens and business owners applied for
disaster relief funds. After applications were reviewed, disaster relief
funds from the Federal government were distributed to disaster
victims and local jurisdictions based on the funding available and the
documentation provided.

In addition, those citizens of Centerville who had purchased a flood

insurance policy contacted their insurance agents and had the damage
assessed immediately. Flood insurance claims were paid quickly, and
flood victims began to rebuild in ways that made their property less
prone to damage in the next flood. In a few months, Centerville
homes and businesses were safer than ever.

How were the citizens of Before a flood emergency . . .

Centerville protected?
 The local government knew that flooding was a hazard.
 Plans had been developed with representatives from the animal-
care community to protect people, animals and property in the
event of flood.
 A floodplain management ordinance was adopted and enforced.
 A warning system was established.
 Citizens were informed of the risk of floods and encouraged to
buy flood insurance.

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During a flood emergency . . .

 Warnings were issued, and livestock was moved early to
prevent greater problems later.
 Everyone knew what to do, and understood the importance of
early evacuation of pets and farm animals.
 The plans made earlier were put into action.
 People evacuated quickly.
 Shelters were prepared.
 Medical and health services were available.

After a flood emergency . . .

 Damage to property was quickly assessed by persons
knowledgeable of the animal industry. After proper
documentation, insurance claims were promptly paid.
 Governments (local, State, and Federal), disaster relief
organizations (such as the Red Cross), humane shelters, local
veterinarians and individual citizens, worked together to help
Centerville recover.

Some personal So far we have discussed how emergency management applies to a

community. The same principles also apply on a personal level. Each
examples of us can prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate disasters
that threaten our personal lives. Animal owners are actually required
to think in those terms, because they are responsible for the safety and
well-being of their animals. Let’s illustrate the four phases of
emergency management with two personal examples.

The horse show that You are traveling with your horse to a show where it will likely be a
didn’t happen winner and a tire on the trailer explodes. Your truck and trailer
swerve into a ditch. Fortunately nobody in the truck is hurt and you
are able to get the trailer out of the ditch, but your horse appears to
have cut its poll (top of the neck) and is in considerable pain.
Anticipating emergencies and break downs you recently installed a
cellular phone in your truck. You call the highway patrol to help
secure the area and request a local equine veterinarian to examine
your horse.

The highway patrol arrives at the same time as the veterinarian. The
area is secured and you and the veterinarian carefully back your horse

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out of the trailer. The veterinarian determines that follow-up

radiographs will show if the horse has any internal damage. For the
moment the horse appears well enough to continue the journey having
received anti-inflammatory analgesic therapy by the veterinarian.

You decide it is best to take your horse home, where it can recover
from its shock in a familiar environment. Before you carry on you
replace the flat tire with a spare and have the burst tire replaced in the
next town. Once home, you call your regular veterinarian who takes
radiographs of the injured area of your horse.

Fortunately, your horse did not sustain serious injuries. From then on,
before each show and throughout the years you regularly check the
wear and condition of all the tires on your truck and trailer. Your
diligence pays off and your horse wins its next show.

When you respond to emergency situations or dangers in this manner,

you are practicing emergency management.

Mitigation You learned from your experience and applied

your knowledge to improve on transport safety
by regularly checking the condition of your
equipment.
Preparedness You prepared yourself by equipping your
truck with a cellular phone that you used to
contact highway patrol to help you secure the
area, and ensure the safety of your horse and
passing motorists.
Response When the emergency occurred you reacted
responsibly by calling a veterinarian to
examine your horse and give a professional
opinion on its health status. You also rested
the horse by returning home and not entering
the show.
Recovery Once the immediate emergency was over you
repaired the damage by replacing the tire and
lost no time in ensuring that you had another
spare in case of another incident. You also
contacted your regular veterinarian to be sure
that your horse had not sustained internal
injuries and did not require treatment.

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The puppy that You recently bought a dog, which is a great family pet, plays nicely
conquered firecrackers with children and is friendly to visitors. It is late June and Fourth of
July celebrations have begun. Random firecrackers are being set off.
Your dog is crying, digging at the floor and tearing at the door as a
result of the loud noises. His barking is disturbing the neighbors and
you are concerned about his frantic behavior and the damage he is
doing to your home. You realize that the problem is likely to intensify
with the upcoming holiday.

You phone your veterinarian who recommends that you bring your
dog in for an examination. Upon examination you and your
veterinarian agree that sedation may be the best temporary solution.
Twenty minutes later the sedative is working and your dog is sleeping
quietly at home. Your veterinarian also sends you home with
medication to administer until the Fourth of July has passed, and
suggests you keep your dog comfortably confined in a room with a
radio playing.

You administer the medication as directed, and the remainder of the

holiday passes uneventfully. Your pet again becomes a relaxed and
playful member of the family. To give everyone a brighter outlook,
the entire family goes for a walk to a neighborhood park.

Your veterinarian also identified steps you can take to desensitize

your dog to loud noises in the future. You practice these steps and by
the end of the summer your dog is no longer afraid of loud noises.

How do the phases of emergency management apply to this situation?

Mitigation You learned how to desensitize your dog to

prevent future problems.
Preparedness Although you might not have been prepared
the first time, you acted quickly to control
your pet’s behavior for the remainder of the
holiday period, and for future events, by
obtaining prescription sedatives.
Response You immediately sought help from your
veterinarian.
Recovery You relieved stress in your pet and reinforced
the bond with the family by going on a walk
together.

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 LEARNING CHECK – WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT

THE FOUR PHASES OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT?

This activity is designed to assess your understanding of the information

Figure 1. Can presented in this unit.
with paper Directions: Answer the questions — use the Answer Key in Unit 10 to check
underneath.
your answers.

True or False

1. Preparedness and response activities always occur at the same time.

2. Government officials are ultimately responsible for animals in disasters.

3. Response activities are actions taken to save lives and prevent future property damage in a
disaster or emergency situation.

4. The State is the point between policy guidance and resources available at the Federal level
and the implementation of comprehensive emergency management programs at the local
level.

5. The Federal level is the most important at which to develop emergency management plans.

6. Response activities take place before an emergency occurs.

Multiple Choice

7. These include actions taken to return to normal once an emergency occurs.

a. Mitigation c. Preparedness
b. Response d. Recovery

8. Following safety standards in selecting building materials is an example of this type of

activity.
a. Mitigation c. Preparedness
b. Response d. Recovery

9. At the local level, the authority granted to the emergency manager is defined by:
a. Local laws or ordinances
b. The Governor
c. The director of the State emergency management office

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d. The authority of the emergency manager is not defined

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Fill in the Blank

10. List various levels at which emergency management can take place.

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Summary In this unit, you learned the definition of emergency management; the
four phases of emergency management; the responsibilities of
individuals and local, State, and Federal governments in regard to
emergency management; and looked at some examples of emergency
management in action.

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