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Horse Owners Prepare for the Worst

In the event of disasters like floods and fires, there are a lot of things to worry about: Is everyone in the family safe? What belongings do I save? Where should we go? When you add one or more 1,000-pound horses into the mix, the problems multiply – especially if you have never dealt with an equine-related emergency before.

That is why Crystal Smith, Warren County agriculture and natural resources Extension agent, created the On-Farm Emergency Preparedness Program for Horse Operations. “The goal of the program is to teach horse owners and farm managers how to plan for and alleviate the impacts of an on-farm emergency. We intensively focus on barn fires, but also cover other emergencies that may force horse owners to evacuate, like floods, spills, etc.,” she explains. “The program helps folks minimize the risks of being impacted by emergencies and teaches them how to prepare for and mitigate the situation if need be.”

Warren County Extension coordinated the program, and three sessions were held in Frederick County: two at Valley Farm Credit and one at the Wagon Wheel Ranch. During the workshops, around 30 participants learned how to work effectively with emergency personnel, prepare a go-kit, evacuate or shelter horses on-site, and put together a first-aid kit.

The program also covered the importance of preparing a preplan. “A preplan lists the address, location, and contact information for the farm,” says Smith. “It also lists the number and type of farm residents (human and animal), farm buildings and contents, access to the buildings and water, nearby fire hazards (brush, forest, chemicals, etc.), and a diagram of the farm. This allows first responders to have a clear picture of the facility before they respond to an emergency.” In addition, the program emphasizes ways to prevent fires and floods with different facility designs.

In the future, Smith hopes to prepackage the information covered in the program so that other Extension agents can have the materials available in their localities. “The more farms trained in dealing with on-farm emergencies, the better,” says Smith.