Animal Rescue Volunteers Rush to Get Certified As First Responders

Photo By Nanette Martin

For the first time ever, in response to new standards in animal rescue, animal rescue volunteers are garnering animal rescue credentials and standing by, vaccinated and prepared - ready to work shoulder to shoulder with Emergency Responders under a single command.

In order to respond more effectively in a disaster, many States are demanding a minimum standard of preparedness and training and animal rescuers have taken up the challenge long before the passage of new State and Federal Pet Evacuation laws.

In the State of Louisiana, animal rescue organizations are affiliating with local parishes under Memoranda of Understanding so that they will be most effective under an overarching Incident Command structure. Volunteers are must be affiliated with a rescue group in order to deploy into the disaster area and therefore rescue groups share the responsibility to get their volunteers fully trained.

MuttShack Animal Rescue offers online training utilizing a combination of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) classes and online White Papers and lectures as coursework for the MuttShack Animal Rescue First Responder Certificate.

While certain FEMA classes are already mandatory for participation in animal rescue in the State of Louisiana, MuttShack’s First Responder Certification is more comprehensive, literally a mini-university degree in response training.

MuttShack Certified students stand toe to toe with the likes of any other first responders in emergency response services like Firemen, Red Cross and Military but with the attention and focus on animals - from household pets, to large animals and wildlife.

"Speaking a common language with other disaster responders is critical, as is knowing the incident command structure. We need to respond in a unified and responsible manner. The animals deserve that. " says Amanda St. John, Founder of MuttShack.

The certification classes are offered to MuttShack animal rescue volunteers free and online. Course material can be downloaded and studied in PDF or word document format or online on the FEMA website. The first tutorial “How to Do a Course Online” is straightforward enough so that anyone can learn how to study online. Thereafter students get to study courses such as Animals in Disaster, Incident Command and others.

Once the substantive course material has been perused, there is an online exam. Success comes in a small white and blue envelope in the mail bearing a Certificate of Completion of the course. Students collect their certificates and aggregate them into various Certificates of Completion, such as the Professional Development Series, and ultimately the MuttShack Animal Rescue First Responder Course.

More than 100 students have signed up and have formed a Yahoo Student Group that meets and chats daily, about strategies to complete courses, troubleshooting on computer issues and general camaraderie. Expert student weather watchers give updates on the weather and warnings of impending deployment. Valuable information is shared such as what vaccinations are required, deployment logistics as well as where to get the best hands on training including aggressive animal behavior training, Red Cross First Aid and CPR training.

Completed certificates is the passport to their passion... helping animals in disaster.

To join the MuttShack Animal Rescue Program complete the MuttShack Registration Form.

MuttShack Animal Rescue
http://www.muttshack.org

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