Disaster Preparedness: Volunteer Training Classes Now Available in Animal Rescue
When Hurricane Katrina struck, plans for rescuing animals were virtually nonexistent, and many would-be volunteers lacked critical skills. New legislation requires that disaster plans be expanded to include provisions for animals, but its success will depend on the education of volunteers. A variety of self-study and online courses are now available to train animal rescue volunteers for the next emergency.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) August 21, 2006 -- Hurricane Katrina was a hard lesson in disaster preparedness (http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fewhours/disaster-preparedness.htm) that revealed just how much further this country's disaster planning still had to come to adequately protect both people and animals in emergencies. Plans for rescuing animals, in particular, were virtually nonexistent both among individuals and at the government level.
Passage of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act will go a long way toward ensuring that we never again have to witness the suffering of animal victims as we did after Katrina, but much of its effectiveness will depend on the improved disaster preparedness of individuals and communities.
Today, there are a number of things individuals can do to protect animals ahead of time, and to get ready to help rescue them the next time disaster strikes:
- Develop a disaster plan for the animals at home
- Join forces with neighbors to shape a community plan for pets and livestock
- Choose from a variety of volunteer training classes in emergency animal rescue (http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fewhours/disaster-preparedness.htm), including self-study and online options. Numerous courses are now available through FEMA, the American Red Cross and others, with certificates for each one successfully completed.
“There's no telling when the next disaster may come, but we can be certain that it will, sooner or later,” said Katherine Noyes, Senior Editor for Animal Welfare at Charity Guide. “Once it does, a little preparedness will go a long way toward easing its effects on the animals who share our lives.”
To do even more, visit CharityGuide.org for more volunteer opportunities related to animal protection (http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/animal-protection.htm).
Charity Guide (http://www.charityguide.org/) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting flexible volunteerism, by inspiring and facilitating acts of kindness. For more information about Charity Guide and opportunities to make a difference, please visit our Web site at www.charityguide.org or contact us at Questions @ CharityGuide.org.
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