1. Disaster and Travel Planning
Respect Animals Project (R.A.P), 3-5th grade
Part 2b., Volume I
1. How can learning about pets and compassionate living create better students and responsible pet owners.
2. Why is it important to involve students in responsible pet ownership?
3. How can responsible pet owners benefit communities?

2. Disaster & Emergency Planning
What is a disaster/emergency?
Class discussion
Tornadoes
Flooding
Terrorism
Evacuation
What is an emergency?
What is a disaster?
Why is a plan important to have?
What happens if you are not prepared?
The first thing we can do to protect our pets in disaster situations is to learn about possible disasters that can occur. The main disasters that affect us in Florida are tornadoes, hurricanes and flooding.
A disaster can happen to anyone, at any time. So it is best to have a plan way before something like a tornado, hurricane or flood occurs. Preparing ahead of time and acting quickly is the best way to keep you and your family, including your animals, out of danger. Having a plan, and practicing that plan before a disaster will help you accomplish a successful evacuation and help you keep your pets safe. Often we can lose power and/or water for days, weeks, or even months in disasters. So we need to keep in mind that it is critical to have a supply of water and food that will cover not only the people in your family but each animal as well.

3. Water- Key! 1 gallon per day
Emphasize to students that every member in our home needs to have 1 gallon of water per day. So consider how many people and pets are in our homes, and how long we may be away from home, or stuck without water when planning. Water is the most important thing to have for all family members.

4. Survival Story 'I don’t even know if I have a home'
As Dana Huff was receiving an emergency evacuation notice at his Mountain Shadows home Tuesday afternoon, a police officer was pounding on the door telling him he had to leave immediately.
“I thought I would have time if there was an evacuation,” he said. “We didn’t think it would happen that quickly.”
He took 10 minutes to get out of his house, but it wasn’t easy. Huff, who had his left leg amputated after a staph infection seven years ago, wasn’t wearing his prosthetic leg at the time. To make matters worse, his electricity had just gone off, trapping his car inside his garage.
He had just enough time to grab two small plastic bags of belonging – mostly medical supplies for his leg. When he got out of his house, the sky was glowing and he could see the fire descending. He got a ride from a neighbor who had driven his vehicle through his own garage door to get out. The neighbor dropped him off at a Village Inn restaurant and staff there took him to the Red Cross shelter at Cheyenne Mountain High School.
On Wednesday, his adult daughter from Greeley arrived at the shelter to take him home with her.
“I don’t know how long it will be,” he said. “I don’t even know if I have a home.”
Read along with kids…
The gentleman in this story only had moments to prepare to evacuate. He got out alive, but imagine if he had someone other than himself to help evacuate…kids, pets etc.. How different might he have felt if he had a plan in place?

5. Survival Story 'I’m taking it seriously'
Karen Hawk of Monument barely slowed between trips to her car Wednesday while emptying her home of her most important possessions.
Like other Monument residents, she’s only under a pre-evacuation notice, but she wasn’t taking chances.
“I was up in Mountain Shadows as the fire was coming down yesterday, so I’m taking it seriously,” Hawk said in her driveway on Creek Valley Circle.
Many of Hawks’ neighbors in the Valley Ridge neighborhood followed suit Wednesday afternoon and spent the afternoon packing, some with U-Haul trucks and flatbed trailers. All said they were concerned about smoke rolling off of Blodgett Peak to the south and by tales of the Waldo Canyon Fire’s rapid, ruinous spread into Colorado Springs, where it has consumed more than 200 homes.
One of Hawk’s four sons, Justin Little, came to help her pack, and her dog, Lady, tagged along as they gathered photographs, important papers, computers and Little’s videogame system and games.
Hawk said she was taking care of another son’s home in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood before fire came down a ridge and began burning homes, cementing their worst fears.
“At the time it was so gridlocked you couldn’t get out,” she said. “It was scary looking back at the mountain and seeing that.”
In this story the family had more time to prepare. Do you think they had a solid evacuation plan in place, or did they improvise?

6. Is this safe??? Why or why not?
Pets in Cars
Is this safe??? Why or why not?
Discuss each photo with students. Why is it important to secure pets- discuss accidents, and injury that could occur.
Better? Why or Why not?

7. Pet Safety In Cars
Click for Video:

8. Evacuation Map
Discuss with students that they should always know what exits they should use to evacuate. Sometimes windows aren’t reliable because they can jam- and you never know what might happen to prevent you from getting out a main door. Be aware of your surroundings and plans.

9. American Veterinary Medical Association Recommendations
2-week supply of food (dry & canned)
• 2-week supply of water in plastic gallon
jugs with secure lids
• Batteries (flashlight, radio)
• Cage/carrier (one for each animal, labeled
with your contact information)
• Can opener (manual)
• Cat/wildlife gloves
• Copies of veterinary records and proof
of ownership
• Emergency contact list
• Familiar items to make pets feel
comfortable (favorite toys, treats, blankets)
• First aid kit (see next page)
• Flashlight
• Instructions
• Diet: record the diet for each individual
animal, including what not to feed in case
of allergies.
• Medicat ions: list each animal separately,
including dose and frequency for
each medication. Provide veterinary and
pharmacy contact information for refills.
• L eash and collar or harness
(for each animal)
• Litter, litter pan, litter scoop
• Maps of local area and alternate evacuation
routes (in case of road closures)
• Muzzles (dog or cat)
• Newspaper (bedding, litter)
• No-spill food and water dishes
• Paper towels
• Radio (solar and battery operated)
• Spoon (for canned food)
• Stakes and tie-outs
• Trash bags

10. EMERGENCY PLANS
HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO TAKE YOUR PETS Service animals who help people with disabilities are allowed in Red Cross shelters, but it may be hard to find shelter for your pets in a disaster, so plan ahead. Check to see if your local emergency shelter plan includes pets.
Contact hotels/motels outside your area to see if they take pets, how many and what size they will accept. Keep the information handy.
Ask friends or relatives outside the area if they could shelter your animals. If you have more than one pet, try to keep them together.
Prepare a list of boarding facilities and veterinarians who could shelter animals in an emergency; include 24-hour phone numbers.
Ask local animal shelters if they provide emergency shelter or foster care for pets in a disaster. They may have too many animals already.
Have students read the next 4 slides.
When preparing for disaster situations we must remember to PLAN for pet care just as we would plan for our parents or children’s care. There are two ways to ensure your pet’s safety in a disaster situation. The best way is to plan ahead to keep them with you. Secondly, you can plan ahead to house them in a facility that is pet-friendly. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) states: If you evacuate your home, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND! Pets most likely cannot survive on their own; and if by some remote chance they do, you may not be able to find them when you return.

11. PLANS - SUPPLIES PUT TOGETHER A PORTABLE PET DISASTER SUPPLIES KIT
Keep everything in a sturdy container that you can carry (a small duffle bag, a covered plastic box, etc). Your pet disaster supplies kit should include:
Medications and medical records (in a waterproof bag) and a first aid kit.
Sturdy leash, harness, and/or carrier to take your pet safely and make sure that your pet can't escape.
Current photos of your pets in case they get lost.
Food, potable water, bowls, cat litter/pan, and can opener.
Information on how to feed your pet, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and phone number of your veterinarian in case you have to foster or board your pets.
Pet bed and small toys.

12. PLANS – WHAT TO DO
KNOW WHAT TO DO AS A DISASTER GETS CLOSER At the first hint of disaster, act to protect your pet.
Call ahead to confirm emergency shelter arrangements for you and your pet.
Be sure your pet disaster supplies are ready to take at a moment's notice.
Bring all pets into the house so that you won't have to search for them if you have to leave in a hurry.
Make sure all dogs and cats wear collars and up-to-date identification. Attach the phone number and address of your temporary shelter, if you know it, or of a friend or relative. You can get temporary tag or put adhesive tape on the back of your pet's ID tag, adding information with a marker pen.
If you are not home when disaster hits, have a friend get your pets, know where your pet disaster supplies kit is and have a key to your home. Disasters are stressful for everyone, even your pets! Outside your home and in the car, keep dogs on a strong leash. Transport cats in carriers. Don't leave animals alone anywhere they can run off. The most trustworthy pets may panic, hide, try to escape, or even bite or scratch. Back home, give your pets time to settle.

13. PLANS – OTHER PETS
Birds: Carry birds in a travel cage or carrier. In cold weather, wrap a blanket over the carrier and warm up the car before putting birds inside. During warm weather, take a plant mister to mist the birds' feathers periodically. Do not put water inside the carrier during transport, but put a few slices of fresh fruits and vegetables with high water content. Have a photo for identification and leg bands. If the carrier does not have a perch, line it with paper towels and change them frequently. Try to keep the carrier in a quiet area. Do not let the birds out of the cage or carrier.
Reptiles: You can carry snakes in a pillowcase but they must be transferred to more secure housing when they reach the evacuation site. If your snakes require frequent feedings, take food with you and a water bowl large enough for soaking as well as a heating pad. You can move house lizards like birds.
Pocket Pets: Small animals like hamsters and gerbils should be carried in secure carriers that can be their home while sheltered. Take bedding materials, food bowls and water bottles.

14. A stay-at-home Emergency, Lockdown
This site has good advice for being at home without power etc…:
Think about the difference in an emergency when we stay at home, versus an emergency when we must evacuate.
Discuss situations with students that would cause a lockdown emergency.

15. SONG AVOID THE DISASTER BLUES When met with disaster or emergency We must act with keen urgency Lives our in our hands For our family we must know our plan What, when, where, how and who Will be the key to saving me, mom and Blue From being stuck without water or meds We will surely be thankful we planned ahead So let me say one more time Don’t forget to love your pet And grab the beds and meds and water and food And make sure Blue has his microchip and tags too Cause its up to you to make a move and avoid the disaster blues. REPEAT THE ABOVE
1st clip from memory game
Notes re: dialouge- People and animals having same needs
Possibly play song again on beginning of day 2 15

16. Sources
Florida Disaster.org Emergency Support Function-ESF 17:
Florida Animal Control Association: