SHAME on
Louisiana!
More Restrictions On
Rescuers Next Time Around
SOURCE: Article by Claire Davis, for Best Friends
Sent by: Shannon Moore, shann_moore@yahoo.com
April 30, 2006 / Planning For The Next
Disaster in Louisiana...
State announces more restrictions on rescuers the
next time around,
including credentialing and ban on out-of-state
vets.
by Claire Davis
When disaster next strikes the animals
of Louisiana the state is going to require that all rescuers be certified in
advance by the state, and out-of-state veterinarians are not going to be allowed
to assist.
These decisions were announced at a meeting Saturday night
between a small group of dedicated rescuers and Dr. Renee Poirrier, DVM, the
head of Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association’s State Animal Response Team
(SART).
The group came together in a plush downtown hotel to discuss what
they can do to get pets – and their people – out of danger the next time a
hurricane strikes.
Poirrier’s main focus during the session was to urge
local shelters and rescues, as well as national groups, to develop memorandums
of understanding with Louisiana parishes.
Having disaster plan approved
ahead of time can greatly improve the ability to respond, she said, noting that
Noah’s Wish had done just that in Slidell last year, and that it worked out
quite well.
But Poirrier said the most important element of disaster
preparedness is individual responsibility. The first thing is to tell
(residents) they have to have a plan,” she said. “For the most part, we’re going
to expect people to take care of themselves.”
She said that although the
state is planning shelters for the next disaster, including shelters for pets,
they are not going to announce these plans to the public. The state fears that
announcing shelters in advance would encourage people to rely on the state,
instead of making their own preparations to stay with relatives or friends, or
in pet-friendly hotels.
State shelters should only be a last resort for
those people most in need, Poirrier said. She estimated about 7,000 people will
need such help, including people who are disabled or don’t have
transportation.
Russ Mead, an attorney with Best Friends Animal Society,
challenged Poirrier on that figure – suggesting that it is too low – and also
took issue with several other elements of her presentation.
Mead asked
whether or not the new plan would allow out-of-state veterinarians will be
permitted to practice in Louisiana in the next emergency.
Poirrier’s
response was quick and to the point: “Out-of-state vets will never be allowed in
again,” she said. She said laws require that practicing veterinarians have a
Louisiana license. “The board’s charge is to see that the people of Louisiana
are well-served by their veterinarian.”
Mead challenged the wisdom of
that decision, noting that in the days and weeks after Katrina, Best Friends
could have offered $10,000 a week and still wouldn’t have found any in-state
veterinarians able to help the group.
Several members of the audience
seconded Mead’s comments: “How many more thousands of animals would have died if
(outside groups and vets) hadn’t been let in?” asked one woman.
Poirrier
said the only solution was for veterinarians to get a Louisiana license in
advance – a proposal Mead said was impractical for organizations like Best
Friends which operates in a number of states. Similar dissatisfaction was voiced
by the audience when Poirrier indicated that Louisiana is now working on a new
process that will require all animal rescuers to be certified before they enter
a disaster zone. Volunteers who did not get certification from the state would
be asked to leave.
Required training includes taking the ICS 100 and 200
courses, as well as the NIMS 700 and 800 courses, she said. Amanda St. John, of
Muttshack animal rescue, told the audience that the courses are readily
available on-line. “You need to just go ahead and do it,” Poirrier said. “It’s
not going to kill you.”
Mead questioned Poirrier on whether someone who
had taken only two of the courses, but had 20 years of experience in the field,
would be allowed to rescue. “They will throw you out,” was the response. At one
point, Best Friends earned a small ovation from the crowd as several in the
audience proclaimed the organization’s assistance in the disaster to have been
invaluable.
That outburst came after Mead proclaimed that “I can build a
temporary shelter in 48 hours.” At that point, Poirrier said the state would be
glad to pair with Best Friends on shelters beyond the I-10 safety ring in
Lafayette and Shreveport. Further discussions on that proposal were
planned.
In the end, Poirrier again urged the groups to quickly develop
memos of understanding with local parishes. It is the next, most logical step in
being better prepared, she said. “I wish I had all the answers, but I don’t,”
she concluded.
=========================
ONLINE TRAINING
COURSES REQUIRED BY LVMA + OTHER ORGS:
SOURCE: Shannon Moore, shann_moore@yahoo.com
To volunteer in
Louisiana disaster/emergency, take by end of 2006
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIweb/IS/crslist.asp
Minimum
courses required at this time:
IS 100, IS 200, IS700,
IS800
For field rescue, courses such as DART Training, Code
3, or other “rescue”
training will be required. http://www.nimsonline.com/nims_training/index.htm
