First responders learn safe and effective large animal rescue training tactics

First responders took part in Equine Guelph's Large Animal Emergency Rescue Awareness Level program last Saturday at the Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Association. Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press

Not all heroes wear capes. In fact, most wear bunker gear or uniforms. They are the ones responding to the call when an emergency pops up in the community and, thanks to  years  dedicated  to  training,  know  what  to  do  to  take  control in a time of chaos.

Some  of  those  emergencies,  especially  out  in  the  county, may not involve people, but large animals.

On   Friday, a  group     of  first   responders took    part   in a  training  exercise  that  familiarized  them  with  an  array  of  potential  scenarios,  and  provided  them  with  the  best  practices on how to navigate those challenging situations.

Firefighters from    four    local    departments, including Essex Fire & Rescue, RCMP, EMS, Police, and a few of WETRA’s staff members took part in the training activity.

Through  the  event,  participants  learned  how  to  use  the tools at their disposal – or discovered what tools they should have handy – to remove a large animal from mud, how  to  assist  one  that  became  cast  beneath  a  fence  or  in  their stall, and how to get an animal back to its feet in the tight space of a trailer after an accident or incident.

Dr.  Susan  Raymond,  Communications  &  Program  Officer for   Equine Guelph of  the   University of  Guelph, facilitated the Large Animal Emergency Rescue Awareness Level  program,  which  was  hosted  at  the  Windsor  Essex  Therapeutic Riding Association.

The County of Essex invited program instructors out to host the event, after Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy brought up  the  importance  of  looking  into  large  animal  rescue  training for   area    first    responders at  a  County Council meeting back in May. That way, they would be prepared to properly and safely handle a situation.

“Our program focuses on promoting best practices in terms of welfare of the animal, but also safety of the people and the animal,” Raymond explained. “If [someone] sees an  animal  in  distress,  it’s  human  nature  that  we  want  to  help it. A lot of people end up putting themselves in danger or harm’s way when they are trying to help.”

Through   this   program,   best   practice   training   is   provided to  first   responders –  and   also   to  veterinarians, vet techs, horse and livestock owners – that focuses on safety and promoting a good outcome; hopefully one that will be the best outcome for the animal.

First    responders, and   in  particular firefighters, have    a lot   of  training, resources, and   equipment behind them.    It is  really    beneficial to  give    them    the   training on   how    to properly use   the   equipment they    have,    so   they    are   not causing more harm to an animal, Raymond said.

“We stress in any animal incident to get a veterinarian involved.  The  veterinarian  or  a  vet  tech  will  be  able  to  assess if it is in the best interest of the animal to continue the rescue, and will be able to assess if it is safe to sedate the animal for the safety of the people and also the animal. So,  it  is  really  a  way  to  bring  the  community  together  to  work  in  a  very  safe,  responsible  way  for  everyone’s  wellbeing.”

Emergency  situations  involving  large  animals  can  range.  Some  may  involve  one  animal,  such  as  situations  where  a  large  animal  has  run  through  a fence or has gotten stuck in the mud. Others may involve multiple animals, such as a barn fire or a transportation incident   where   a   horse   or   another   animal  is  down  in  the  trailer,  or  the  trailer  is  involved  in  an  accident.

It  could  also  involve  animals  that  have  gotten  loose  and  are  running  on  a  highway.

“It  is  for  everybody’s  safety  to  come  up  with  a  good  plan.  It’s  not  just  getting  an  animal  out  of  harm’s  way  it  is  [about]  where  it  is  going  next. It should be contained and under veterinary  supervision.  [It’s]  looking  at  the  whole  picture  rather  than  –  and  we  are  all  at  fault in terms of we want to do this – kneejerk reaction of saving something quickly,” Raymond said.

Taking  a  step  back  and  determining  the  best  way  to  approach a situation is paramount.

The focus of the program is on animals, such as horses and cows, though some can be used on wild animals, and other  species,  like  alpacas,  llamas,  or  groups  of  smaller  animals, like a trailer incident involving poultry, Raymond added.

Knowing not all participants may have experience  with  large  animals,  there  is  a  component  of  the  program  where  they  can  learn  to  be  safe  around  a  calm  horse,  before responding to an incident.

The program has been running through Equine  Guelph  for  a  decade.  It  was  built  on   world-wide   best   practices.   Around   six  courses  and  hosted  every  year,  each  limited  to  around  30  participants.

Equine  Guelph also has a strong online education presence  through  the  Horse  Portal  that  offers   resources   and   videos,   Raymond   added.

There  is  hope  to  host  the  awareness-level program again with first responders next year, and possibly extend it to a two-or-three-day    training    program,    which    offers operational levels that provide more technical training.

Individuals and groups can reach out to Equine  Guelph  to  host  the  Large  Animal  Emergency    Rescue    Awareness    Level    program,   including   equine   or   livestock   facilities or vet clinics.

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