Disaster - College of Veterinary Medicine - Texas A&M University

When
Disaster
strikes
Veterinarians prepare to respond
to emergencies and disasters
When disaster strikes, the most shocking
statistics include lives lost and dollars
in damage, but the actual cost of disaster
also includes the toll it takes on the health
of the survivors and of the environment.
Because of the long-term damage suffered
by those that survive a disaster, it can take
years to fully recover from a devastating
event. This makes it even more imperative
to minimize the impact a disaster causes.
For concerned clinicians at the Texas
A&M College of Veterinary Medicine &
Biomedical Sciences (CVM), this first
became evident with Hurricanes Katrina
by Angela Clendenin
and Rita. As the events unfolded, it became
clear that there had to be a better direction
for response efforts. People refused to
leave their homes because they were unable
to take their pets with them, and in the
aftermath, were left wading through fetid
waters contaminated with salt water, toxic
chemicals, and the bacteria from decaying
animal and human corpses. With major
access points flooded, and supplies in short
order, the suffering continued for weeks as
rescue teams worked to retrieve those they
could and provide food and water to those
that had to continue to wait. ➡
CVM Today • Summer 2010 • 21