About
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
on the environment.
As the only veterinary medical college in
the State of Texas, we feel we have the expertise and facilities
that could provide much needed support.- Dr. Wesley
Bissett
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.
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.
"We wanted to learn if there was a role we could play in future
emergency response efforts," said Dr. Wesley Bissett, assistant
professor in the large animal clinical sciences department. "As the
only veterinary medical college in the State of Texas, we feel we
have the expertise and facilities that could provide much needed
support."
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.
A formalized Emergency Response Committee was established at the
CVM, and clinicians, scientists, administrative staff, and
technicians who would need to have a place on these response teams
were identified. The group organized under the name TAMU VET, or
Texas A&M University Veterinary Emergency Team. Collaborations
with Texas A&M AgriLife, the Texas Veterinary Diagnostic Lab,
the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the Texas
Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA), and other state agencies
have helped build a foundation of support for the team.
The team was able to purchase some special tents, satellite
equipment, portable stocks & stalls, kenneling materials, etc.,
so that when they are out in the field, they are able to deploy as
a fully self-sustaining unit. Initial funding was requested and
received from the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
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 injured animals and get them to safety and shelter.
The VET is also a valuable 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 VET at any given
time.
The CVM hopes to establish a national center for emergency
response training for veterinarians and there is the possibility of
collaborations with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the
future.
With minimizing animal suffering as the primary directive, the
TAMU VET is able to use the CVM's expertise and equipment to
continue the tradition of service to the State of Texas that the
college was founded on. The team is committed to impacting human
and environmental health by helping disaster-stricken areas move
more quickly towards recovery through effective assessment, triage,
and teamwork.