Equine Preparedness

Whenever encountering an emergency you should call 911. Below you will find the contact information to report an incident in Marin County. Disaster Preparedness is on all our minds and we partner with organizations in Marin to assist the Horse Community. To develop your own Disaster Plan and to find training for Disaster and Emergency Response, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with these resources:

Self Assessment Q&A

Rate your readiness with this self-assessment Q&A

Then, take steps to improve where you feel you need it most.

Next, breathe, and get ready to enjoy summer!

1. Animals at home during a wildfire:

Assessing the risks:

  • Pens and  pastures: are they  defensible?

  • Are your fences secure?

  • Water source:  is it secure?

  • Trees: Can they fall on fences or paddocks?

  • Is your hay stored a safe distance away from buildings, trees and animals?

  • Are your "safe spaces for animals" clearly visible? (Not hidden by trees?)

  • Access to your property: can  emergency workers get in to  feed, water & check on animals?

2. Planning to Evacuate:  Plan and Practice!

  • Do your animals all load easily, for anyone, in a variety of trailers?

  • Do you have more than enough transportation help lined up?

  • Do you have extra halters, lead ropes, buckets, water & feed?

  • Do you know all possible routes?

  • Do you have multiple destinations?

  • Do you have multiple resources who can get your animals if you're not there?

3: When you and your animals are separated:  Planning for speedy reunification:

  • Are pets, and equines microchipped?

  • Do animals all have some sort of ID on them?

  • Do you have photo ID for your animals?(and short videos of pets?)

4. Evacuation Locations:  Keeping the whole family, and animals, healthy:

  • Do you have health records, medications, plenty of food and water to take with you?

  • Do you have multiple plans and locations?

  • Can older or lame animals handle stress of emergency sheltering?

  • Do you have masks, disinfectant and  hygiene supplies in your ready kits?

5. Be aware of what's happening - Be ready to go as soon as an Evac Warning is issued:

  • Red  Flag (or Flash Flood Warning) means Get Ready! 

  • Warning means Go Now!

  • Evac Order means it may be too late to evacuate equines and livestock safely, you must put your SIP plan into action.

  • Evac Order means unauthorized helpers (and usually, owners), cannot  go beyond a roadblock.

  • Once an Evac Order is in place, it may not be possible to evacuate equines and livestock safely. Don't wait to Evacuate!

6. How to get alerts and what they mean:

  • Sign up for all local alerts  (Go to County Emergency Services website)

  • Do you have a NOAA weather radio with "SAME" alert feature?

  • Are your AM/FM  radios pre-set to local news channels ? (including car)

  • Does your community use sirens?

  • Do you have a neighborhood (Or barn, or business) phone tree?

  • Do you have out-of-area contacts you use when local phone services are disabled?

7. Sheltering in Place - Safety and survival:

  • Have you considered every occurrence that might impact you and your equines? (Including extended power outages)

  • Do you have "safe places" at home or nearby?

  • Do you have all the supplies you need for you and your animals to stay healthy if you are without power or help for at least 7-10 days?

  • Does your local fire and/or Sheriff department know who might be sheltered on your property, including the animals? (DAP Map)

  • Are you aware of potential hazards?  (Fuel tanks, chemicals, dangerous trees, unsafe electrical connections, old septic tanks or wells)

8. Helping the Whole Community - Include Spanish-speakers, workers, elderly and less-able residents:

  • Do your workers know the plans for your animals?

  • Do your workers have what they need to stay safe and healthy?

  • Is there a "safety net" for older and disabled neighbors and their animals?

9. Local Resources and Information

10. Helpful Preparedness Tools

  • HALTER Project (Disaster Action Plan binders, Go-Bag checklists, Evac and SIP videos, horse handling for firefighters, Family Communication Plan forms, Spanish-language info and more)