Wildfire Preparedness Tips from a Firefighter and Veterinarian
Chris Brunner, November 1, 2017
During wildfires ranch owners with horses or other livestock are faced with the challenge of protecting not only themselves but their animals as well. At a Ranch Readiness Day held in April at the Sonoma County fairgrounds, Dr. Michael Payne, a UCD veterinarian and volunteer firefighter, gave a presentation about wildfire preparedness. His presentation included pictures, animations and videos to explain fire service response procedures and the specific actions that livestock owners can take to help protect themselves, their ranch and their animals before and during a wildfire.
Ranch Readiness Day is an annual event sponsored by the non-profit Horse Livestock Team Emergency Response (HALTER) group, an organization committed to helping families, farmers and ranchers partner with first responders to prepare for emergencies of all kinds.
Following October’s devastating wildfires in Northern California, the audio to Dr. Payne’s April Ranch Readiness presentation has been re-recorded. The presentation, “Wildfire Preparedness tips from a Firefighter, Veterinarian and Ranch Owner,” is available to watch here on YouTube or press “Play” below.