Disaster Planning

HURRICANES, FLOODING AND TORNADOES

If you live in any state that touches the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico, you will experience a hurricane at some point. Even the West Coast has experienced its share of hurricanes in recent years. If you live inland, the remnants of a hurricane will affect not only you but states that don't even have a coastline and will experience heavy rain, winds, and tornadoes. Flooding typically goes hand in hand with hurricanes but can also result from torrential rain, or broken dams and levees. They can be slow-rising or fast flash floods, leaving little time to evacuate. Another spin-off of hurricanes can be tornadoes, or they can suddenly appear out of nowhere with very little notice to prepare. Luckily, with today's technology, most of us live where we can receive tornado warnings on our phones or over the TV, which will give us time to prepare.

   Hurricanes provide the luxury of having days to prepare as the weather forecasters track them from their inception. However, Hurricane Charlie in 2004 taught us that hurricanes can and do switch paths at the last moment, with those in Central Florida finding themselves with just 6 hours to go from casually preparing for a glancing blow to having to prepare for a direct hit.

  Hurricane Andrew left farms in South Florida so devastated that the building codes were changed. In the aftermath, nothing was safe in the high winds, and many barns collapsed, leaving horses unaccountable. That disaster was the inception of better disaster planning for animals in the United States.

   Hurricane Katrina taught us the effect that flooding would cause, with many horses suffering horrible fates of drowning when they were left in their stalls. Most recently, Hurricane Ian in 2022 taught Floridians that no matter where you are in the state, you will have some impact with a hurricane that size. The damage shocked people in Lee County, as the projected landfall was further north near Tampa. When the storm changed its course ever so slightly, those in Lee County were not prepared for the destruction they were about to experience, and sadly, there were reported deaths of horses that were not evacuated from low-lying areas. Despite all the talk on the news, people failed to consider the size of the cone. If you reside within the path of the projected landfall, you will be impacted, one way or another.

   Because of the unpredictability of landfall of hurricanes, evacuating is challenging to plan. Where can you go that the hurricane won't follow? With the more horses and animals you have to evacuate, this is a serious question that needs to be answered. This is where Horse TLAER (Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue) Math comes into play. One must consider how many trips and hours will be required to move horses. Suppose a barn has ten horses to move and only a two-horse trailer and the evacuation facility is a 100-mile round-trip excursion, not to mention the time involved in loading, unloading, and setting up, plus traffic. In that case, the barn needs to begin evacuation very early on. For example, plan 30 minutes to load, and if the trip is an hour and a half (with no traffic) each way, plus another half hour to unload, you need to plan 4 hours for every trip. As the hurricane gets closer, traffic will increase, and your travel time will unfortunately increase as well. In addition, roads may be closed and fuel limited as the hurricane or wildfire approaches, preventing your return to load up more animals. Early evacuation is crucial; if possible, enlist the help of as many people as possible.

  Evacuating:

   If you decide or are given orders to evacuate, you must do so once the evacuation orders are issued. You should identify the reason for evacuation other than mandatory evacuation orders. Is your barn in the path or cone of a catastrophic storm? Is it in a flood zone? You are at risk for flooding if you live near any lake, river, or swamp. In Central Florida, the north-flowing St. Johns River continued to rise for weeks after Hurricane Ian, causing significant flood damage throughout several counties, with scores of horses needing to be rescued. How is the construction of your barn? Do you have trees or power lines overhead that could fall on it? Will a good gust of wind at greater than 65 miles per hour reduce your shelter to a pile of lumber? These are all questions that should be answered as you develop your evacuation plan.

   If you didn’t plan ahead, try utilizing social media platforms to find locations to evacuate. If show grounds are full, these are usually good sites where private residents will offer safe refuge. After the storm passes, these are also helpful resources for putting out SOS posts for missing horses, found horses, where to locate hay and feed, and other helpful advice.

   Even if you feel your horses will be safe at home, it is still a good idea to learn where you would evacuate in case of mandatory evacuation orders or some other major catastrophe that would cause you to leave. Once you pick your location, be sure you have contact information, an address for this spot, and how to get there so you are not left scrambling at the last minute. Have several locations picked out beforehand, and you must call the one you evacuate to make reservations. Many evacuation sites fill up quickly, so have your backup locations.

   Be sure your truck is gassed up and you know the back roads to your destination. Major highways will quickly become parking lots. The last thing anyone wants to deal with is being stranded on the road with a trailer load of horses, which happened to several people during Hurricane Katrina when snarled traffic caused vehicles to run out of gas. Evacuees were forced to ride out the hurricane, stranded on the interstate with their animals inside of trailers.

   Take ALL of your animals with you. Don't leave any animal behind, as you don't know when you will be able to return, and you don't want to rely on neighbors or friends, as roads may be impassable for any number of days. It seems that every hurricane, there are stories of animals tied up and drowning or being found in a barn with a collapsed roof around them days later when the owner returned. Studies show that people who leave animals behind in disasters are typically irresponsible pet owners, failing to provide basic vet care and vaccinations or to spay or neuter. There is little emotional attachment to their pets other than what generates "likes" on social media.

   On the other hand, responsible owners who consider their animals as family members are more than likely unwilling to evacuate if no shelter or resources are available. Now is the time to decide how to evacuate all the animals in your care. Will it require multiple trips? Can you enlist friends or boarders to haul horses? Goats, barn cats, and other animals can usually fit inside trailer dressing rooms to free up space. Most sites will accommodate all animals. The World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, took in not only horses and donkeys but also kangaroos and tortoises during Hurricane Ian in 2022! And keep in mind that with a hurricane looming, this is not the time to start teaching your horse how to load into the trailer! Even if you know your horse loads, but it has been a while since you have gone anywhere, practice loading before a disaster looms.

   The states often will waive the health certificate requirements to evacuate across the state border. However, you still need to ensure your animals are up-to-date on vaccinations and their Coggins. Shelters will require current vet records, and one needs to keep in mind that it can take weeks for a horse to build up immunity from a vaccine, so it will be useless if evacuating to a large public site within a few days of injection. Most evacuation sites will require vet records. It's a good idea to have copies of your documents in your evacuation binder and keep a file either in your truck or in the dressing room of your trailer so you won't waste time trying to locate the records before leaving.

   Be sure to bring along several days' worth of grain and hay. The last thing you want to worry about during an already stressful situation is the inability to feed your horse its usual diet. It's also a good idea to have stored water in case you are stuck in traffic for any length of time.

   Lastly, it's a good idea to always have your evacuation kit ready.

   Once an impending disaster is announced and danger is imminent, take the following steps to ensure a successful evacuation:

1. Get ready. Have your evacuation plan binder and evacuation kit ready—gas up the truck, hitch trailers, and load feed and hay.

2. Identify the evacuation site.

3. ID horses.

4. Evacuate sooner rather than later. Take into account the number of horses, trips, and distance. It is better to start a few days early for a stress-free evacuation. And if the disaster doesn't strike, consider this a successful drill.

   The response of a farm and its community will contribute to the outcome of a disaster. Everyone involved should be flexible and be able to address the problems as the crisis changes. This will lead to the recovery period, which can last days, weeks, or months and includes repairing buildings and fencing, providing veterinary care for horses, clearing debris, and assessing how well the plan worked and what changes, if any, need to be made.

Shelter In Place

   If you decide to stay put, much work still needs to be done! Some regions will have shelter-in-place plans, and one should know what they are. For example, in California, some canyons have only one escape route and require FireWise preplanning with CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) to defend your property.

   One of the most debated questions is what to do with your horse. Are they better off inside or outside?

   Look at your barn construction. Is it well-built and up to code, or is it just a bunch of boards nailed here and there to give some shelter? Will the roof collapse inward or blow off? Is there a hayloft full of hay and equipment that, if it collapses, will land on top of the horses? Are you in a flood zone? What happens if water rushes your property and floods the barn? And it's not just your barn to be worried about with flooding. One horse died during Hurricane Ian when water rushed the property with such force that he was swept away from his field; his remains were found a week later, just on the other side of the fence line.

   If you turn your horse out, you must consider that in hurricane-force winds of greater than 65 or more miles per hour, even the tiniest item becomes a missile that no animal can outrun. Tree branches, jump cups, buckets, blown-off rooftops, and your neighbor's kids' toys will all cause severe and even fatal injuries to horses. What about electrical wires? How is your fencing? If you leave your horse out, ideally, there should be at least two perimeters of fencing, as downed fencing is a reality. In addition, make sure that the horses can reach higher grounds in the event of flooding. Make sure that there are no electrical wires in your fields. During Hurricane Andrew and in its aftermath, horses that survived the storm were electrocuted or hit by vehicles because of broken fences and downed power lines. These realities should be considered for any significant storm and approaching tornadoes. Don't assume your horse can outrun a tornado. They can't! If your horse leads a pampered life and is not used to being outside during bad storms, leaving him out in a hurricane may not be such a good idea.

   After the storm or disaster, where will your horses be allowed to graze or be turned out? The areas will need to be free of hazardous materials, floating ants, downed power lines, etc. The bottom line is that whether you leave your horse in or out is a decision only you can make based on where you live and your facilities.

   Most barns have wells that rely on power. In an emergency, you will most likely lose power. Therefore, providing enough water for every horse and animal on your property is critical. The typical horse will drink 8-12 gallons of water daily. In the heat of the summer, that number may be higher. Realistically, plan to store at least 15 gallons of water per horse per day for one week. Rain barrels make excellent water storage containers, typically holding 50-90 gallons. Barns with many horses should invest in as many barrels as necessary. Rubbermaid totes and muck buckets also hold large amounts of water. When not in use, barrels can be used as jumps or for storing tarps and other disaster equipment.

Hurricane/Disaster Shelter In Place Preparation Checklist

(This checklist applies to most disasters!)

Once you decide to ride out the storm, you have a lot of work to do:

• Fill every bucket, trash can, and other containers with fresh, clean water. At a minimum, plan on 15 gallons of water per horse per day. Therefore, consider investing in barrels to be used for water storage. You cannot rely on the fire department to provide water.

• Pick up enough hay and feed to last a week if roads become impassable or the feed store is damaged and can't open. Cover with a tarp to keep dry and safe.

• Pick up and store away every item that isn't tied down: flower planters, flags, barn decorations, chairs, tools, etc. Even if this turns out to be just a drill, at least your barn is getting a good cleaning and organizing! Knock over jumps and any other object that can blow over.

• Identify potential low areas around the barn and fix them. Make sandbags and add dirt, rock, etc., to low-lying areas.

• Identify your horses using at least two methods of ID:

-Body marking with livestock paint. Available at Tractor Supply and from most livestock supply companies. Be aware that these dry out; check and replace them as needed. Put your address and phone number on the sides of your horse.

-Write your info on the hooves with a sharpie.

-Neck banding

-ID tag on halters. When leaving halters on, be sure to use a breakaway halter only.

-Braid ID into mane or tail. Use a small baggie with emergency info inside, or make a laminated tag. Laminated luggage tags from any office supply store work well. With a baggie, you can include more information, such as dietary concerns or medical issues, in case your horse is lost.

• When using a phone number, be sure to include a second number, either a landline or the number of a friend or relative from out of state. Just be sure to let them know. It is not uncommon for phone lines to be down in a major hurricane or after a tornado.

• NEVER attach your horse's Coggins to his body!

• Microchipping is the best bet to identify your horse. It is becoming more common with breed registries and will aid in getting a lost horse back home.

• Keep current photos of your horse, along with their Coggins and vet records, in your personal files so you can identify them should they become missing. Store this in a safe place.

• Attach reflective tape to your halter. Some livestock supply stores also carry reflective paper strips to apply around the hooves and neck. These will help make the horse visible to cars should it get loose.

• Inform others of your plans.

Floods

There are many precautions a barn owner can take to prevent flooding. These include:

• Identify if your property is in a flood zone. If you live near a major lake or river or along the coast, you will likely experience flooding at some point.

• Many realtor sites now list the environmental risk level of a new home, including the risk of flooding, when buying a new home.

• If you are building a barn, it is a good idea to make it at the highest part of the property, or if that is not possible, elevate the barn by at least one foot.

• If grazing in a floodplain, keep horses safe and away from that area until danger has passed.

• Identify where to move livestock in the event of flood. Where is the highest point of the property?

• Identify where to move equipment.

• Move hay, grain, and medications to a safe location.

• Test sump pumps.

• Turn off the power when a flood is imminent.

• Horses should never be stalled or tied when there is a threat of flooding.

• Make improvements to your property, such as widening and cleaning out culverts to prevent washouts.

• In the event of flash flooding, there may be no time to do anything except remove horses from their stalls.

• Open gates so animals can move freely.

 Horses stuck in flood waters are at risk of several dangers, including:

• Drowning

• Injury from fencing, equipment, and other debris hidden by the rising water.

• Becoming stuck in the mud.

• Difficulties in providing adequate food and water during flooding. Several photos post hurricanes show horses seeking refuge on rooftops or porches and standing in stagnant water for days if no dry ground can be found.

• Snakes and floating ants

• The stress from standing in water and the inability to eat properly will cause colic and laminitis.

• Other health issues include:

-Rain scald

-Mud fever

-Pneumonia

-Open wounds

-Waterborne illnesses such as leptospirosis

-Drinking contaminated water

-Cellulitis or Phythiosis

-Skin infections, which in turn cause the skin to slough off

Tornadoes

   If you receive a tornado warning, there is very little you can do to prepare. Just like in hurricanes, there is much debate as to whether or not the horse should be left inside or out, and it all comes down to your facilities.

   A horse-turned cannot outrun a tornado and will be subject to flying debris, downed fences, and downed power lines. If turned out, horses should wear halters and fly masks to reduce eye injuries from flying debris, and if there is enough time, they should have some form of ID on them. A horse in a stable may be at risk of collapsing roofs, walls caving in, or trees falling on the barn. 

   Because a tornado is imminent, having a tornado plan and knowing what to do when you hear an alert is essential. It is far more important to keep yourself and your family safe during the tornado so that you can do something useful to help your horses and animals after it passes.

In next week’s blog, I will discuss preparing for other disasters, such as earthquakes, blizzards, hazmat evacuations, and the changing climate.