Tactical Medicine Consultancy
Veterinary Preplan
A common sense approach should be used in dealing with wild and domestic animals. Wild animals should not be approached too closely or handled improperly. Animals are very protective of their young and fearful for their lives when they are cornered. During the breeding season, animals tend to be more aggressive and territorial. Medical personnel traveling through these areas should be cognizant of the seasons, the territorial boundaries and animals that are indigenous to the area.
Animals that are wounded, ill or diseased should be handled with extreme caution. Dying animals will attract other predators and scavengers and may cause great concern to medical personnel because of additional hazards and diseases. Medical personnel's should be prepared for insects, rodents and predatory increase if carcasses are not properly disposed. Medical personnel should also practice “what you pack in, you pack out”. This rule simply states that the medical personnel should pick up their trash and not litter. The discarded trash and food can attract unwanted animal visits. Do not feed the wildlife by hand.
On any search and rescue operation, medical personnel should have their livestock examined and immunized prior to any deployment. This includes having the proper paperwork such as the animal’s shot records and vital statistics. The vital statistics should address the animal's weight, age, temperament, sex and special needs. For example, dogs will need booties in Arctic extremes as well as urban catastrophes such as the World Trade Center.
Horses, mules and donkeys will require a tetanus booster within a year of deployment for search and rescue operations. Horses are commonly used for carrying personnel and equipment for great distances. The medical personnel should study the local area for various disease processes that will affect the animals. Diseases and internal parasites within a specified region may incapacitate the horses or donkeys. Prepare the horses with proper shoeing within a two to three week window prior to deployment. Study the terrain for access to an area or special considerations that may affect the search and rescue operation.
Dogs are the most commonly used animals for wilderness and urban search and rescue operations. Dogs are primarily used to locate victims that are entrapped or lost. The dogs should be immunized against canine distemper, adenovirus and rabies. Monitor the dogs for internal parasites such as tapeworms and heart worms which commonly affect dogs. Ticks and fleas will also be a problem when operating in wooded areas not only for the dogs but humans as well. Dusting powders should be carried and administered to the dog as well as the bedding area. Be sure to check behind the dog's ears, a common sight for flea and tick infestation.
The horses and dogs should have some form of restraint system. The handlers should carry extra rope or wedding for the animal and have a plan in place to retrieve animals that get lost. In certain environments, the horse or dog may fall prey to other wild animals. For example, grizzly bears, wolves, mountain cats, etc. Security should be maintained for the animals as well as the search and rescue party.
Just like humans, animals are susceptible to trauma caused by the environment and the incident. Maintain health check of the animal by checking the feet, hooves, nail beds and general appearance of the body. The animals are susceptible to stress induced by the environment, the incident and human interaction. The animal will require downtime and rest. Do not send an animal into the hot zone without appropriate downtime or shows signs of stress.
I hope that this serves as a rough overview for medical preplanners in urban and wilderness search and rescue operations. This is not an all inclusive list but should serve as a starting point and a simple template to apply to search and rescue operations.
Animals that are wounded, ill or diseased should be handled with extreme caution. Dying animals will attract other predators and scavengers and may cause great concern to medical personnel because of additional hazards and diseases. Medical personnel's should be prepared for insects, rodents and predatory increase if carcasses are not properly disposed. Medical personnel should also practice “what you pack in, you pack out”. This rule simply states that the medical personnel should pick up their trash and not litter. The discarded trash and food can attract unwanted animal visits. Do not feed the wildlife by hand.
On any search and rescue operation, medical personnel should have their livestock examined and immunized prior to any deployment. This includes having the proper paperwork such as the animal’s shot records and vital statistics. The vital statistics should address the animal's weight, age, temperament, sex and special needs. For example, dogs will need booties in Arctic extremes as well as urban catastrophes such as the World Trade Center.
Horses, mules and donkeys will require a tetanus booster within a year of deployment for search and rescue operations. Horses are commonly used for carrying personnel and equipment for great distances. The medical personnel should study the local area for various disease processes that will affect the animals. Diseases and internal parasites within a specified region may incapacitate the horses or donkeys. Prepare the horses with proper shoeing within a two to three week window prior to deployment. Study the terrain for access to an area or special considerations that may affect the search and rescue operation.
Dogs are the most commonly used animals for wilderness and urban search and rescue operations. Dogs are primarily used to locate victims that are entrapped or lost. The dogs should be immunized against canine distemper, adenovirus and rabies. Monitor the dogs for internal parasites such as tapeworms and heart worms which commonly affect dogs. Ticks and fleas will also be a problem when operating in wooded areas not only for the dogs but humans as well. Dusting powders should be carried and administered to the dog as well as the bedding area. Be sure to check behind the dog's ears, a common sight for flea and tick infestation.
The horses and dogs should have some form of restraint system. The handlers should carry extra rope or wedding for the animal and have a plan in place to retrieve animals that get lost. In certain environments, the horse or dog may fall prey to other wild animals. For example, grizzly bears, wolves, mountain cats, etc. Security should be maintained for the animals as well as the search and rescue party.
Just like humans, animals are susceptible to trauma caused by the environment and the incident. Maintain health check of the animal by checking the feet, hooves, nail beds and general appearance of the body. The animals are susceptible to stress induced by the environment, the incident and human interaction. The animal will require downtime and rest. Do not send an animal into the hot zone without appropriate downtime or shows signs of stress.
I hope that this serves as a rough overview for medical preplanners in urban and wilderness search and rescue operations. This is not an all inclusive list but should serve as a starting point and a simple template to apply to search and rescue operations.
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