Responding to disaster 9/11 ten years later: reflections of a life changing event (Proceedings)
VMAT's mission is to provide medical care for sick or injured animals resulting from a disaster, when the local veterinary community has been overwhelmed.
Introductions
• Name Tags
• VMAT team
• Long Island VMA volunteers
• Suffolk Co. SPCA officers
Outline
• VMAT
• Safety
• Mental Health
• Veterinary Care
• What you will see
What is VMAT?
• Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams
o American Veterinary Medical Association
o Office of Emergency Preparedness of the U.S. Public Health Service
o National Disaster Medical System
o Federal Response Plan for Disaster Relief
• VMAT Characteristics
o Four teams in the United States
o 30 members per team
o Nationwide coverage
o Deployable within 24-48 hours
o Self-sufficient for 3 days
• VMAT Mission
o To provide medical care for sick or injured animals resulting from a disaster, when the local veterinary community has been overwhelmed.
o Their purpose is to augment, not supplant, state and local veterinary resources until such resources are self-sufficient and able to respond to the veterinary needs within the disaster area.
• NYC-WTC Mission
o To Care for Search and Rescue Dogs
o To Care for Patrol Dogs
o To Care for any Civilian Dogs Presented to Us
• Bases of Operation (BoO)
o Jacob Command
• Jacob Javits Convention Center
o West Command
• West Street just outside of Red Zone
o Forward Triage
• At the Pile
Safety is the #1 Concern
• Respirators
o Recommended at all times
o Provided to all volunteers
o Updates by EPA/OSHA q. 12hr at 0530 & 1730 briefings
• Water
o Do not drink water standing in cases on sidewalk
o Wipe off neck of bottles that have been in ice before drinking
• DMAT
o Here for YOU – the responders
o DO NOT treat people – escort them to DMAT
• Bathroom location – College Command
o Wash hands prior to eliminating and after
o Tell shift leader or other VMAT member if leaving MASH BoO area and always go in pairs
o DO NOT even think of trying to sneak down to the pile
• Police Dogs
o Beautiful!
o # 1 function is to protect their partner
o Always ask the officer prior to touching the dog
• Gloves
o Wear gloves to touch any dog
o Latex and Nitrile available in all sizes
o Nitrile (blue, purple) for latex sensitivity and more protective
Mental health
• Psychological Concerns Veterinary Health Team:
• The Pile
o Psychological need to see the pile
o Best view is of WTC 7 at the end of Greenwich St.
o Go with a buddy and a SPCA officer
o Talk with us afterwards if you need to
• Time Out
o Critical Incident Counselor at DMAT
o Also massage therapist!
• Talk
o We are good listeners and have spent some time here
o Don't be afraid to seek counseling
• If overwhelmed
o Ask to go home
o Check with shift leader – don't leave us short handed
o Please sign out
• Post-trauma Stress
o The normal reactions of normal people to events which for them are unusual or abnormal
o Victims / survivors
o Witnesses and onlookers
o Families / friends
o Those who are called in to help
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
o "The development of certain characteristic symptoms following a psychologically distressing event which is outside the range of normal human experience"
o More common among disaster relief workers than in the victims of disasters
• Psychological Concerns the Canine Handlers:
• Safe Haven
o Don't crowd
o VMAT BoOs provide a safe haven
o Honor this
o Listen
o May hear information that is not in the news
o Use common sense
o May be classified
o Do not repeat
• The Press
o Protect the Handlers
o VMAT restricted
o Speak only verified truths
• Proud to be an American
o Red White & Blue bandages
o Red White & Blue bandanas
"BoOtique" at Jacob Command Cards and Letters
The dogs
• Urban Search and Rescue dogs
• Live Rescue Dogs
o No one to find
o Stage live finds
o Number of workers in, on and around the pile
• Cadaver Dogs
o Pieces
o Mood of handler
• Bomb Sniffer Dogs
• Dog Breaks
o At the pile
o Time out in MASH cage
o Toys!
Veterinary care
• Veterinary Health Team
o 3 volunteers to a dog:
o Examining veterinarian
o Technician
o Recorder
o VMAT will oversee
• Medical Health Form
o Use the form for consistency
o Ask questions in a conversational manner
o Handler last name
o Dog name
o Organization
• WATF 1
• NYPD
• Independent
• Shift Change
o 12 hours shifts
o 0700 – 1500
o Coming off the pile
• Actual time working the pile
• Number of days on pile
• Physiological Signs of Stress
o Vomiting/Diarrhea
o Hematuria
o Dehydration
• Hydration
o Drinking at forward BoO?
o Collapsible bowls
o Sub-Q fluids
o Monitor weight
• Blood Work
o Idexx
o CBC
o Profile
o Electrolytes
• Physical exam
o Eyes
o Ears
o Nostrils
o Paws
• Decom
o Chlorhexidine
o Full body bath
• Other Concerns
o Diesel
o Antifreeze
• Bootie Myth
o Most dogs DO NOT work in booties
o Proper application
What you will see
• Steel Girders
• Rescue Trucks
• Ambulance Caravans - Be Respectful!
o Smoke
• The Smell
o Building materials
• Glass
• Concrete
o Electrical equipment
• Phones
• Computers
o Cremains
• 2000+ remain missing
