Disasters: The impact on animal health response

Understand the potential impact of different types of disasters and animal health emergencies on FEMA’s seven “community lifelines.” Using a case example from Hurricane Maria’s impact on Puerto Rico, this course explores how significant interruption of each lifeline can impact animal health response. Learn how needed resources should be requisitioned during a disaster or emergency.

This session satisfies core competency 4 of AVMA’s Veterinary First Responder Certificate Program. It originally was presented at AVMA Convention 2022. 

Participants can expect to learn about:

• Potential impact of various disasters and animal health emergencies on each FEMA “community lifeline”
• How significant interruption of each lifeline can impact animal health response
• How to requisition needed resources during disasters and animal health emergencies
• Best practices for animal evacuation, rescue, decontamination, triage, emergency sheltering, and reunification for various types of disasters

As an assistant director in AVMA’s Division of Animal and Public Health, Dr. Warren Hess has provided technical and scientific expertise to several AVMA committees, including the Committee on Environmental Issues (CEI), the Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Committee (AqVMC), the Council on Veterinary Service (CoVS), and the Committee on Disaster and Emergency Issues (CDEI). He also has served as AVMA’s disaster coordinator.