Fire, floods and fur: keeping pets safe in a disaster
David King came to the aid of pet owners who were unable to move their animals to higher ground due to frequently rising flood waters.
As an emergency room rescue specialist, he says it’s important to provide adequate transportation resources for furry and furry family members in the event of a crisis, or at least be mindful of the extra time required for multiple trips.
“You have two cats, three dogs, a horse and a budgie in your little zoo and you need to move them to safety,” he told AAP.
“Do you have a cage for each of your animals? Or a travel box?
“Do you have a buoy to move your horses?”
Mr King has been with the NSW State Emergency Service in the Hawkesbury region, north-west of Sydney, for 40 years.
He responds to road accidents and day-to-day rescues, but helping pet owners during extreme weather disasters in the flood-prone Hawkesbury Nepean Valley is a big part of his job.
Rescuers in NSW take pets seriously.
This is one of only two states that legally includes pets in rescue missions.
“Anyone in the public can call triple zero and get a rescue intervention for their pet,” Mr King said.
Experienced rescuers understand the deep bond people have with their pets and aren’t surprised when they risk their lives to stay behind during a ground or fire to protect their companion animals.
But he would like to see more households prepare in advance for a “rainy day” to make sure their animals have somewhere to go and a means of transportation.
It’s also a good idea to combine emergency kits with food, medication, a collar, and veterinary records.
Mr King said without a plan, people could panic and make bad decisions, putting themselves and therefore emergency services in danger.
“This is a real problem,” he said.
“Ultimately, volunteers from the SES must come to their aid and risk their lives.”
Although authorities sometimes create pet-friendly evacuation centers, Mr. King warns that they may be remote and recommends reaching out to friends and family with enough space to host visitors as emergency backup.
He has been involved in some complex rescues in his time, including precariously squeezing several crates containing greyhounds into rubber dinghies and lifting them to higher ground.
Rescue vehicles, including helicopters, have also transported small animals following many incidents where people did not want to leave without their beloved companions.
Mr. King now helps train new recruits in the art of animal rescue.
Teaching volunteers the basics of how to manage a horse or flock of sheep is part of the training because many are not used to handling large animals.
Since it describes larger pets, it’s also important to stay sane when dealing with smaller pets and “love pets.”
“Whether it’s small or large animals, the most important thing in training is to make sure our rescuers are calm.”
