Does your barn need an evacuation plan? YES, YES, YES! As Equestrian riders and owners, we share a deep bond with our horses. They are not just animals; they are our companions, athletes, and sometimes even family members. However, in the event of an emergency-be it fire, flood, or natural disaster- having a well-thought-out barn evacuation plan can mean the difference between life and death for your beloved equines. There are a lot of factors to creating an emergency plan for your horse, so let’s highlight a few of them here.
We want to avoid normalcy bias. The cognitive bias that leads people to disbelieve or minimize threat warnings. The classic, “it will never happen to me” mindset. Sounds obvious, but safety first! The primary goal of an evacuation plan is to ensure the safety of all animals and people on the property. Time is of the essence and a pre-established plan allows for quick action, minimizing panic and confusion.
Start by assessing your own barn and surrounding areas for potential hazards. Such hazards could include fire from hay, equipment, manure piles, or electrical sources, flooding due to heavy rain or nearby bodies of water, severe weather, like tornados, hurricanes, (you’ll need more than an umbrella), chemical spills from fertilizers or cleaning supplies. Understanding these risks will help you tailor your evacuation plan accordingly.
Designate evacuation routes by mapping out a clear egress route from various areas of the barn to safe zones. Consider a route may bottle neck, creating traffic jams for hours. Map out multiple routes to avoid choke points. Make sure all paths are clear of obstacles and easily navigable, even in low visibility. Identify safe zones where horses can be taken. It could be a nearby field or another barn. Have maps in all rigs, even though you have so many great GPS tools- in an emergency evacuation, the cell towers may go down. Two-way radios are also a great option to communicate with your staff. Keep them charged in a tack room and ready to go. Monitor the news and get out before evacuation orders come into effect and traffic gets bad. You know it’s coming. I know here in Southern California; some barns only have one way in and one way out through the foothills. Get out early and avoid stress and injury to you and your animals. If you know evacuation is imminent, set up in advance. Hook up trucks and trailers and get them pointed in the direction of your exit. In the case of a fire, don’t worry about hay or shavings, putting these into the back of your truck where amber and ash could pelt will create quite an issue for you. Tag your horses by painting cell phone numbers on the horses or braid ID tags into the manes or zip tie to halters. Shapley’s touch up spray is great, comes in a variety of colors and doesn’t come off until you wash it off with soap.
Create a horse handling protocol. As we all know, horses can be unpredictable in stressful situations. Familiarize yourself with each other’s horse’s behavior and temperament. Some may require more gentle handling than others. Keep halters and leads readily accessible. In some cases, you may need to practice loading and unloading to reduce stress during an actual evacuation.
Assemble an emergency kit that includes essential items for both horses and humans. First Aid supplies like bandages, antiseptics, and any medications for your horse. Don’t forget basic tools like flashlights, batteries, and a multitool can be invaluable. Your trailer should already have emergency supplies stored in them like buckets, halters, duct tape, etc.
Once your plan is in place, it is crucial to communicate it to everyone involved with the care of the horses. Ensure all staff members are familiar with the evacuation plan and their specific roles during an emergency. Conducting regular drills to practice the plan and identify areas of improvement will allow staff to feel confident when an emergency arises. An evacuation plan is not a one-time effort. Regularly review and update accordingly to account for changes in your barn, like new horses or changes in staff.
