CLEARFIELD – In order to get more hands-on, the Clearfield County Animal Response Team has organized a three-day, large animal rescue training event from May 30 to June 1 at the Clearfield Driving Park.
“You can’t get this training in a classroom,” Kim Finnigan, public outreach chairwoman of CCART, said. “We’re really excited. It’s going to be great.”
She said volunteers will attend from the local team as well as others from counties across the state. Other emergency responders, such as firefighters, also plan to attend.
Finnigan said the “big days” will be May 31 and June 1, when 30 pre-registered participants are put in rescue scenarios with live animals, including buffalo, horses, cows and calves and sheep.
“We’re trying to get some pigs,” she said.
Finnigan said animals are unpredictable, and training is needed to protect both the volunteers and the animals during a rescue.
“It will teach us specific ways to round up and handle animals, so injuries can be prevented,” she said.
Finnigan said the event was made possible through funding from both the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“We’re really grateful to them, because it has allowed us to put on this event,” she said.
Background
State Animal Response Team (SART) was first implemented in North Carolina following Hurricane Floyd.
Finnigan said more than 3 million domestic and farm animals were lost.
“Their agriculture took a huge hit,” she said. “Many animals could have been saved if an emergency response team and plan had been in place.”
According to Finnigan, Pennsylvania was the second state to develop an animal response team.
“It’s a pretty big state and county-level teams had to be established,” she said.
Finnigan said CCART started in 2005 and has an animal emergency response plan. The team currently has about 30 members.
“We’re made up of volunteers but do have trained members from veterinarians to representatives from the Penn State Cooperative Extension,” she said.
Finnigan said although CCART has never been deployed, the members are equipped and prepared to handle an array of situations from traffic accidents, which involve animals, to fires and tornados.
“We have a trailer with food, first aid kits for animals and materials to set up a shelter,” she said. “We are a resource and are here capable and ready. Our slogan is any animal, any disaster, anywhere.”
For more information about CCART, contact Duane Archer at 236-7199.