Feature Story

When Disaster Strikes

Veterinarians prepare to respond to emergencies and disasters

By Angela Clendenin

When disaster strikes, the most shocking statistics include lives lost and dollars in damage, but the actual cost of disaster also includes the toll it takes on the health of the survivors and of the environment. Because of the long-term damage suffered by those that survive a disaster, it can take years to fully recover from a devastating event. This makes it even more imperative to minimize the impact a disaster causes.

Galveston Island, TX, Sep. 2008 ~ A volunteer for the Humane Society tends to dogs in a shelter set up to help animals displaced by Hurricane Ike. Photo credit: FEMA/Jocelyn Augustino.

For concerned clinicians at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), this first became evident with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As the events unfolded, it became clear that there had to be a better direction for response efforts. People refused to leave their homes because they were unable to take their pets with them, and in the aftermath, were left wading through fetid waters contaminated with salt water, toxic chemicals, and the bacteria from decaying animal and human corpses. With major access points flooded, and supplies in short order, the suffering continued for weeks as rescue teams worked to retrieve those they could and provide food and water to those that had to continue to wait.

Waiting was unacceptable for the Texas A&M team. In response to Brazos County's designation as an evacuation hub for future hurricane threats. and eager to find a solution where experts in animal welfare could respond in the event of a disaster, talks were initiated between the Emergency Response staff of Brazos County and faculty from the CVM.

New Orleans, LA, Sep. 2005 ~ A veterinarian (left) and veterinatian's technician examine a towel-wrapped cat rescued from the floodwaters left behind by Hurricane Katrina. Photo credit: FEMA/Win Henderson.

"We wanted to learn more about the direction that emergency response efforts were going to take in the future," said Dr. Wesley Bissett, clinical professor in the large animal clinical sciences department, "and if there was a role we could play. As the only veterinary medical college in the State of Texas, we felt we had expertise and facilities that could provide much needed support in future response efforts."

Soon after talks began with Brazos County, CVM officials began working on developing an agreement with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the lead agency for animal health issues in times of emergencies. By partnering with the TAHC, the CVM could support the TAHC mission by projecting the CVM's capabilities around the state.

Beaumont, TX, Sep. 2005 ~ Several horses were brought in to the Animal Disaster Response Facility staged in the Ford Arena following Hurricane Rita's landfall. Photo credit: FEMA/Bob McMillan.

"Once we had a rough agreement in place with TAHC," added Bissett, "we went to the Executive Committee of the CVM and requested that a formalized Emergency Response Committee be established at the college level. This request was approved, and we began to identify clinicians, scientists, administrative staff, and technicians who would need to have a place on these response teams."

To respond in an emergency, the teams would need special equipment and the funds to not only purchase this equipment, but also to support the team. Funds were requested and received from the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and have immediately been used to build the necessary infrastructure for the emergency response teams.

New Orleans, LA, Feb. 2006 ~ Members of Best Friends Rescue join the parade down Bourbon Street during Mardis Gras with some of the animals abandoned and rescued from Hurricane Katrina. Photo credit: FEMA/Barbara Pritchard.

"Once we knew that we were going to be able to develop formalized teams, we began to organize under the name TAMU VET, or Texas A&M University Veterinary Emergency Team," said Bissett. "We were able to purchase some special tents, satellite equipment, portable stocks & stalls, kenneling materials, etc. so that when we are out in the field, we are able to deploy as a fully self-sustaining unit."

While responding to a disaster, the teams are able to do environmental assessments, and triage of injured animals. This process can include doing toxicity sampling of water supplies to better know what is available to stranded livestock and pets, evaluating food and nutrition needs, and developing ways to stabilize the injured animals and get them to safety and shelter.

Galveston Island, TX, Sep. 2008 ~ A stray cow walks along areas where sand and debris cover the island due to Hurricane Ike. Livestock as well as domesticated animals were displaced throughout the area. Photo credit: FEMA/Jocelyn Augustino.

"We want to limit animal suffering," said Bissett. "So, animal welfare will be paramount to our thinking. Our college was founded on service to the state, so being able to respond when animals in the state are in need is in our tradition of service."

Not only have these teams dedicated themselves to being available to provide needed aid during a disaster, but they also are using these opportunities as a teaching tool for future veterinarians. A new elective is now offered to third year veterinary medical students that prepares them to play a role in emergency response efforts regardless where they end up in practice. Three students also serve on the TAMU VETs at any given time.

Houston, TX, Oct. 2008 ~ The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rescued this endangered pelican, injured in Hurrican Ike, and turned it over to the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), an agency licensed to treat wildlife. Photo credit: FEMA/Leif Skoogfors.

"There are many roles to fill in a time of disaster," added Bissett. "Our students are able to see how emergency response is something that brings in faculty from the clinics in a multi-disciplinary effort. Not everyone is deployed. As a major referral hospital, the CVM also needs faculty to remain in the hospital to take care of emergent animal needs that arrive from shelters, from evacuees passing through, and from the deployed teams. There's a role for everyone, and it takes everyone to be successful at what we do."

The TAMU VETs had the opportunity to test their roles in a recent disaster preparation exercise held in April with renowned disaster response team, Texas Task Force-1 (TTF-1). The scenario was an explosion in an urban area, and TTF-1 was using some their most valuable team members-their dogs-to assist in the search and rescue effort. The TAMU VETs were able to respond and test their ability to deploy with equipment and operate in the field.

Florida/Georgia Coasts, Gulf of Mexico, Jun. 2010 ~ One of 10 Kemp's Ridley turtles recovered not far from the site of the Deepwater Horizon accident. He was cleaned and treated by a team of sea turtle experts. Photo credit: NOAA - LA Times/Carolyn Cole.

"Overall, the drill went exceedingly well," said Bissett. "We sent teams out with specific routes to simulate assessment activity and also conducted a triage exercise. We were also able to identify holes and rough spots in our process and plans so that they could be ironed out prior to the beginning of hurricane season."

Representatives from the Department of Homeland Security attended the exercise as guests of TTF-1. Impressed with what they saw from TAMU VETs, they asked a lot of questions of the team. There is interest in potentially pursuing the TAMU VET program as a national model.

Eureka, MO, Mar. 2008 -- Members of the Missouri Humane Society along with a volunteer large animal rescue group, Missouri Emergency Response Service, attempt to rescue 13 cattle that are stuck in flood waters. Photo credit: FEMA/Jocelyn Augustino.

"We think we have a good set up and a great plan," notes Bissett. "Moving forward, we intend to pursue additional funding to better equip our teams to provide all-species, all-hazard response. We hope that in the future, we will be able to establish a national center for emergency response training for veterinarians, and potentially others interested in emergency response, right here at the CVM."

With minimizing animal suffering as the primary directive, the TAMU VETs are able to use their expertise and equipment to make an impact on human health and the health of the environment as well by helping a disaster-stricken area move more quickly towards recovery through effective assessment, triage, and teamwork.

Caring for the animals affected by the Gulf Oil Spill

By Becky Mahon

Dr. J. Jill Heatley, clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), has taken a leading role in the recent efforts to help animals affected by the oil spill in the Gulf.

Danene Burtel, Dr. Heather Nevill, and Dr. Erica Miller, members of the Louisiana State Wildlife Response Team, cleansing a pelican of oil at the Clean Gulf Associates Mobile Wildlife Rehabilitation Station on Ft. Jackson in Plaquemines Parish, La., May 15, 2010. Photo credits: U.S. Navy/Justin Stumberg.

While Heatley teaches a Zoo and Exotic Medicine class at the CVM, she has also spent the past seven months teaching training classes at the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center (WREC) in Houston. The WREC's Oiled Wildlife Response Team is on call 24/7 and is currently on standby to respond to any and all wildlife impacted by the oil slick caused by the fire and sinking of the drilling platform Deepwater Horizon.

"Even though we do have the occasional veterinary student take our classes, we are open to the public, so we mostly teach oil field workers, public safety officials, public health workers, and really anyone whose job crosses paths with the oil spill," said Heatley.

Danene Burtel, Dr. Heather Nevill, and Dr. Erica Miller, members of the Louisiana State Wildlife Response Team, cleansing a pelican of oil at the Clean Gulf Associates Mobile Wildlife Rehabilitation Station on Ft. Jackson in Plaquemines Parish, La., May 15, 2010. Photo credits: U.S. Navy/Justin Stumberg.

She explains that all different species of animals have been affected by this disaster including birds, fish, sea turtles, mammals, otters, etc. with the exception of sea otters which are not found on this part of the coast.

"The animals most visible to the human eye are birds, so our main focus is teaching recovery procedures for them. Part of what we teach our students is how to take care of the animal within the first critical 24 hours. Also, how to correctly handle and properly clean affected animals," said Heatley.

To work with oil affected animals one must be certified and trained, therefore a civilian who comes into contact with such an animal should contact a wild animal control officer immediately.