Planning for Pet Decontamination in Disaster Response

Introduction to the topic, community brain-storming.

---

Planning for Pet Decontamination in Disaster Response

This community discussion on pet decontamination is the first in a disaster preparedness series. The discussion series is designed to allow veterinary professionals to brainstorm on disaster preparedness topics and explore topic specific questions and solutions.

This discussion on decontamination includes perspectives and experiences from veterinary colleagues around the globe.

TRIGGER WARNER: This discussion includes real-life, experiential stories from veterinary professionals that may be triggering and / or difficult to hear.

Our facilitator, Mr. David Ouimet Sr., Region 8 FEMA Regional Exercise Officer, provides an introduction on the topic of animal decontamination with some basic terminology and concept building prior to the discussion.

As a veterinary community, we discuss questions such as:

• What types of decontamination solutions is best for animals?

• How and where does a veterinary team work within a contamination-reduction corridor (warm zone-decon corridor) during a disaster?

• What specialized equipment does a veterinary team need in this type of response?

• What type of psychologic resiliency challenges might these teams face?

• What are the unique family-unit challenges of this type of disaster scenario?

---

Watch the Recorded Discussion!

• Duration: 1hr 22min

• Cost: FREE. Please consider making a donation to the Care for the Healer nonprofit in support of veterinary first responders and their psychologic resiliency.

---

About the Speaker

Mr. David Ouimet Sr. joined the FEMA team in 2009 and is currently working as the Region 8’s Regional Exercise Officer. His duties include working with federal, state, local, and tribal entities to assist in the design, development, planning, conducting, evaluating, and providing recommendations for improvement for exercises.

David’s previous position was as FEMA Region VIII’s Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program’s Training and Exercise Specialist. David is a retired U.S. Army chemical specialist and has worked as a trainer both during his active-duty service and following his retirement.

David has also worked as a manager and a trainer at the Center for Domestic Preparedness, a federal training facility dedicated to training our nation’s first responders, international emergency first responders, and emergency support personnel in their additional duties and responsibilities following deliberate, technological, or natural disasters or emergencies. 

David has a pet companion in Cordon Bleu or ‘Bleu’. Bleu and David met at the Denver Animal Shelter in December 2013, when Bleu was just 10 months old. 

---

Become Engage with Disaster Preparedness

This topic discussion hopes to continue to engage community members from a wide range of backgrounds in dynamic discussion on how to prepare for and respond to disaster scenarios - active teams such as the Front Range Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps are actively brainstorming on these topics - please reach out if you want to be part of future discussions.

View other topics in this Disaster Preparedness Discussion Series.

As a community, we are looking for OneHealth-focused solutions, and so, discussions will emphasize environmental sustainability, animal welfare, and human well-being.

---

The CultivateWellbeing community is deeply invested in disaster preparedness and business continuity development. Our ecosystem supports medical entrepreneurs around the globe and our mission to support Healers only increases in intensity during times of emergency and disasters.

We are dedicated to being active participants in development of disaster prepared and resilient communities and remaining functional and able to continue to serve in the face of a disaster.

---