The Animal Issues in Disasters (AIiD) course is an online, interactive course taught by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) staff to train local officials, first responders and potential volunteers about planning and response for animals during disasters.
For over 20 years, AIiD was offered by BOAH as a one-day, in-person class. The new format aims to provide easier access to course content for busy volunteers and professionals who find it challenging to fit a full-day class (plus travel) into their schedules.
History
When a flood or tornado strikes a community, people often have the option to evacuate to a local relief shelter, but what about their animals? Many emergency shelters do not provide space or services for pets or livestock. When shelters accommodate animals, much pre-planning is necessary for safe and smooth operations.
The importance of community-level planning for animals was driven home in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when images of abandoned pets and livestock flooded the media. Since that time, the staff of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH), in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, has been working to ensure that it does not happen in a large-scale event here at home.
Similarly, when a high-consequence disease event occurs, BOAH serves as the first-responding agency to oversee the process of recovery. This response effort may require assistance from partner agencies, organizations, and even individuals.
Who Can Take the Online Course?
Veterinarians and technicians, animal/humane shelter workers, livestock owners, local first responders, county personnel, and other citizens who may be called upon to help in a disaster will benefit from the AIiD online course.
Course Structure
The goal of the course is two-fold - one is to educate the community on how to plan for animal issues in disasters and the other is to engage the county EMA with a targeted group to develop a tangible plan. This can be accomplished when individuals who are part of a local/area planning and/or response team:
- Complete the AIiD online units
- Schedule a 3-hour in-person planning workshop, led by BOAH, with the local emergency management agency (EMA) director
- For those involved with local planning, attend the in-person workshop, as a group with the BOAH district veterinarian and EMA director to work through developing or revising a local plan to address animal issues in disasters.
The new online course, followed by an in-person workshop, will:
- Promote greater locally focused participation
- Foster local connections and conversations within a jurisdiction
- Increase awareness and familiarity with risks, populations and likely needs unique to the jurisdiction
- Ensure more efficient use of time to produce a viable final workable plan with stakeholder input.
Workshop participants can complete the AIiD online units at their convenience prior to the workshop date.
Continuing Education Credit
The new, online course is accessible in individual units (1 through 9).
Veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians may receive continuing education (CE) credits for completion of each test unit. Certificates will be issued by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. Other professionals seeking CE credit should seek approval from their appropriate board or organization.
More Information/Scheduling
- For more information about the online course contact BOAH at animalhealth@boah.IN.gov
- To schedule an in-person workshop, contact your county EMA director.
- All workshops will be hosted locally and led by BOAH personnel and your county coordinator to ensure essential stakeholders are involved.