Can existing informal networks in Corrales, such as horse clubs, bosque patrols and neighborhood watch groups, be coordinated to serve as an effective emergency communications system?

After a series of meetings sparked by the June 20 wildfire near the Romero Road entrance to the Corrales bosque  nature preserve, an animal evacuation plan is nearing completion. But a crucial element in implementing such a plan in an emergency is a means of communication to let residents, livestock owners, pet owners and animal shelter operators know what’s happening and whether to evacuate.

Although members of Corrales Horse and Mule People (CHAMP) have been developing an emergency evacuation plan for large animals over the past six years or more, confusion and uncertainty reigned during the June 20 bosque fire.

Corrales Fire Chief Anthony Martinez had determined early in the fire-fighting effort that no evacuations would be needed, but that did not get communicated to livestock owners in the vicinity of the fire.

Significantly complicating the situation was information disseminated from the governor’s office in Santa Fe directing Corrales livestock owners to evacuate animals to the State Fairgrounds.

Discussions since the fire, initiated by Mary Ellen Capek and Councillor Ennio Garcia-Miera, focused on inadequate communications and what might be done to improve timely and pertinent information during an emergency.

At an August 1 meeting of the “emergency communications group,” it was suggested that such emergency information sharing could be aided through an expansion of Corrales’ neighborhood watch program, as well as creation of a local emergency website.

Six neighborhood watch groups are now functioning here, and another is forming for Dixon Road residents, Corrales Police Officer Rodney Jones said.  Those are for West Ella, Palacio, El Rey, Todos Juntos, Camino de la Tierra and Alamos Road.

For information about joining those or starting a new group, call Officer Rodney Jones at 898-7585.

Other means of emergency communications discussed were:

• the Village’s “Code Red” alert system; 

• a reverse 911 system;

• digital sign panels along Corrales Road or Loma Larga;

• internet applications such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, e-mail and website; and

• Village government’s own website with up-to-the-minute updates.

Fifty years ago, the community emergency alert system was a loud siren on top of the old fire station. When the siren signaled something was wrong, Corraleños learned about the crisis from neighbors who got word from law enforcement or the fire chief.

Key to all of those communications techniques is getting accurate and timely information from the best source. So the animal evacuation plan and the emergency communications plan now being worked on start with the premise that a designated emergency information officer should get constantly updates from the emergency incident commander (such as the Corrales fire chief or whoever assumes over-all command) and disseminate that through the various networks available (such as neighborhood watch block captains, CHAMP, animal rescue or roadside digital sign operator). 

Village Administrator John Avila said he will designate and train several members of the current Village staff to serve as emergency information officers.

The “Animal Evacuation Plan” largely produced by Terry Brown and Steve Henry in collaboration with Avila, has four main objectives: designate holding area locations for large animals (such as the Corrales Recreation Center’s TopForm Arena corrals); obtain written approval from private property owners to remove animals in danger; collect data about where animals can be sheltered and where trailers can be staged; and give all that information to the person designated to call for evacuation.

The Animal Evacuation Plan specifies that a Corrales Animal Control Officer will serve as “shelter command center coordinator” who is “the single point of contact for management decisions in responding to the needs of all animals during an emergency or disaster.” That would include assuring that large animal corrals are in working order, supporting volunteers, maintaining contact with police, fire and other Village personnel and those at field animal shelters, coordinating volunteer tasks and communicating with media if designated to do so.

Also to be designated would be a “main volunteer” who would identify in-take animals with a registration form and possibly a digital photo. The primary volunteer would assess each animal’s immediate needs, provide food and water and safely contain it.

A section of the evacuation plan headed “set up staging area” covers the following points:

• the staging area is for trailer personnel to gather and take directions as to which homes or areas they are to go to evacuate animals;

• have on board the granting authority to gain access in a mandatory evacuation;

• have with trailers, the tools, halters and paperwork to identify homes and animals;

• volunteers who remove animals from private property must leave notice as to where the animals will be taken.

Such holding areas would be designated and opened by the Corrales Animal Control Officer in charge. Those sites are initially identified as the TopForm Arena at the rec center and the fire department substation in the Northwest Sector.  The plan calls for small animal pens and crates to be staged at those locations, which would be staffed by volunteers. Each holding area would have a designated on-call veterinarian.

A “release procedure” is also set in the plan. It says the owner of an evacuated animal must sign a release form after providing proof of ownership.

An essential element of the plan is maintaining a list of volunteers who have trailers that can be used for evacuations and the capacity of each trailer.

Another list to be kept updated is for owners of large or small animals who agree to have their animals evacuated.

The plan calls for training and seminars on how to handle animals and how to transport animals during emergencies.

To go with this plan, its authors have produced an “Animal Intake and Release Form” which will be available online. The form asks for information on the animal and the owner and has signature lines.

Related forms include a “Volunteer Agreement and Release of Liability” sheet, a “Notice of Found or Removed Animal,” a “Volunteer Intake Application” for people who want to help move or manage animals in an emergency and an identification card for registered volunteers to present to police officers or fire personnel.

Developed by CHAMP, the evacuation plan has a hand-out sheet titled “Animal Owner Responsibilities” as part of the Animal Evacuation  Plan. It reads as follows.

“During an emergency, the time you have to evacuate your large animals will be limited. With an effective emergency plan, you may have enough time to move your animals to safety. If you are unprepared or wait until the last minute to evacuate, you could be told by emergency management officials that you must leave your animals behind. 

“Once you leave your property, you have no way of knowing how long you will be kept out of the area. If left behind, your animals could be unattended for days without care, food or water. To help you avoid this situation, we have prepared the following information and suggestions to help you plan for emergencies.

“• Make arrangements in advance to have your horses and other large animals moved or  trailed in case of an emergency. If you do not have a trailer or do not have enough trailer space for all of their animals, be sure to have several people on standby to help evacuate your animals.

“• Take your animals to the emergency evacuation areas designated by the Village of Corrales. You should also consider making arrangements with a friend or others to stable your animals if needed. Contact the Village Fire Department or Animal Control Department for information about shelters in Corrales and neighboring areas.

“• Inform friends and neighbors of your evacuation plans. Post detailed instructions in several places, including barn office or tack room, horse trailer and barn entrances, to ensure they are accessible to emergency workers in case you are not able to evacuate your horses yourself.

“• Place horse’s Coggins tests, veterinary papers, identification photographs, and vital information, such as medical history, allergies, and emergency telephone numbers (veterinarian, family members, etc.), in a watertight envelope.  Store the envelope with your other important papers in a safe place that can be quickly reached.

“• Keep halters ready for the horses.  Each halter should include the following information: the horse’s name, owner’s name and telephone number, and another emergency telephone number where someone can be reached.

“• Prepare a basic first aid kit that is portable and easily accessible.

“• Practice loading horses into a trailer so they become used to it.”

At the emergency evacuation plan meeting August 1, Steve Henry reported that from planning accomplished by June 20, volunteers could have transported and relocated at least 400 horses. That was not necessary, because as Fire Chief Martinez has stated, evacuations should be done only if absolutely needed.

Even so, it was considered advisable to move horse trailers to pre-designated staging areas at the first signs of smoke that may indicate a spreading fire.

Considerable discussion was devoted to evacuation of smaller animals, especially from animal shelters that have numerous dogs or cats.

Typically in an emergency, police officers will block off traffic from entering the affected area. That could mean animal shelter workers might not be able to reach animals for evacuation. So planners suggested a system of pre-credentialing, so that people responsible for large numbers of small animals could be cleared past a roadblock.

Chief Martinez said at the very least, he needs to know beforehand where those shelters are.

As of August 1, owners of small animals and shelter operators had not developed a plan for emergency notifications and evacuation procedures. Barbara Bayer, of Companion Animal Rescue and Medical Assistance (CARMA), said she would have input to the overall planning process within six weeks.

The next meeting was set for Monday, September 24, 7 p.m. in the Village Council Chambers.