FIRE SAFETY WITH VICKI: Maine CART volunteers make sure animals are safe

PHOTO: Members of the Oxford County CART team at work. (Submitted photo)

By Vicki Schmidt

Did you know Maine has a robust cadre of County Animal Response Teams? Commonly known as CARTs, these are well-organized volunteers who work at the local and county levels for the betterment of animals in emergencies. While animals in an emergency have always been a priority for some, it was the lack of preparation for Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 that catapulted pets and livestock into modern-day emergency planning.
While we will never know the exact number, it is estimated nearly 200,000 pets were stranded and another 100,000 killed during and in the immediate aftermath of Katrina. The number of livestock, including cattle, hogs, horses and poultry, was more than six million animals lost. Most animals evacuated ahead of the storm survived. Nearly 2,000 people died during Katrina, and many who did not evacuate or seek alternate shelter did so because they would not leave their pets and livestock behind.

No one wanted to see pets and animals suffer as they did with Katrina and positive results have taken place. In September 2005, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif.; Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Arkansas, introduced the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act. With overwhelming support, it became law in October 2006 (PL 109-308). The PETS Act requires state disaster preparedness and evacuation plans that address the needs of people with pets. Many states, including Maine, watched and learned from the misfortunes of Katrina and other extreme events, and have since benefited from the PETS Act.
Identifying the major risks for Maine, such as river flooding, wildfires, hurricanes, and hazardous material incidents, and learning the needs for communities was a first step. Engaging residents, farmers, first responders and other stakeholders allowed plans for the evacuation and sheltering of animals to be part of local and regional emergency response plans. Mock scenarios and weekend-long workshops have taken place in many counties to ready owners and responders for when emergencies and disasters happen.
To date, most large-scale CART activation in Maine has only involved animal welfare conditions, but having CART members available any time animals need care and sheltering is a valuable component for safe and secure communities. It is often a local CART member who responds with the fire department in the event pets are involved with a home structure fire. These members attend to the pets on scene, sometimes providing oxygen and light medical care, until family members are secure and stabilized and all can be reunited. As with many local and regional emergency response programs, there is always a need for local volunteers who know the area. CART Teams receive training and work with County Emergency Management Agencies and Community Emergency Response Teams. If you have skill with animals, enjoy being part of their security and comfort, and have a bit of spare time to devote to training and response, please consider becoming a CART member.
To learn more about volunteering and assisting with your local CART check out the resources available from the Maine Emergency Management Agency at maine.gov/mema.

Vicki Schmidt is a Maine state fire instructor and volunteers with the Buckfield Fire Department, as well as several regional and state fire training organizations.