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Why would I join this group?
To help large animals in
the community. In the event of a disaster, you
could assist with the evacuation process. When
time is essential, the more information and
volunteers we have, the better our response.
Volunteers responding to their own neighborhood
will be very busy until their own families and
animals are out of harms way. Volunteers from
other parts of the county will be able to
respond immediately and render aid. Sclar has
worked hard on developing a countywide roster of
volunteers and we are fortunate in the people
working with us. This is a wonderful group of
volunteers
Doesn’t the fire
department take care of that?
No, the fire department concentrates efforts
first on saving lives, then structures, then
fighting the fire. Animals are not on their
list of priorities. Also, they are NOT
necessarily animal owners with any knowledge of
handling the animals.
How about Animal Services?
This is a very big county. Animal Services
is short staffed even when they’re fully
staffed. That said, they also have only a few
horse trailers. They try very hard to meet
needs, but sometimes, circumstances are
overwhelming. Our purpose is to aid them with
evacuations, bringing trailers and volunteers
familiar with handling horses and emergency response protocols.
What do I need to do to
join?
1. Register with our
group, we need to know who you are, where you
are and what your resources are. We need to
know how many animals you have so if we need to
respond to your premises, we know how many
trailers will be needed. YOU DO NOT NEED TO
“JOIN” TO REGISTER YOUR ANIMALS.
2. Attend the training
sessions. These are usually limited to a couple
of hours on weekends. Where possible, we
try will incorporate into a member meeting.
Sessions include:
· Fire
Department – Safety, Working With,
Familiarization.
· Large Animal
1st Aid and Handling Under Stress
· Small Animal
1st Aid & Handling Under Stress
·
Human 1st Aid
· Ham radios
and hand held communication during crisis
· O.E.S.
(Offices of Emergency Services) Basics
-
Working within the
guidelines of authorities is critical to
effective operation. This class is
typically given by Lt. Bernie Morton of
the El Dorado County Sheriff Dept.,
Office of Emergency Services and gives
good insight into what our volunteers
can expect from emergency response
personnel during an emergency, how we
must comport ourselves and what is
expected of us.
-
This is also a
swearing in class for the DSW
designation
· Security &
Identification
· Trailer
Safety
Please check our
calendar
page for scheduled dates.
3. Attain the status of
Registered Disaster Service Worker. Our program
will facilitate this process. By attending the
training sessions, classes and meetings you will
be eligible to apply to become a Sclar
affiliated Registered Disaster Service Worker.
4. Sign and submit
the paperwork
5. Attend meetings &
training exercises
How much time will this
take?
The amount of time you
spend involved with this group will vary on your
level of participation. We ask that you attend
no less than 6 monthly meetings in addition,
volunteer about 30 hours a year, including our
training classes.
Where does your money come from and what
do you do with it?
Our operating monies come from donations and
fund raisers. Fund raisers like our annual
Horse Basics & Beyond clinic. We also
participate in flea markets like the Diamond
Springs Bazaar or the Consumnes River Horseman's
Association annual Tack Swap. Our annual
budget runs around $7,500, allowing us to
provide First Aid Kits for our evacuation teams,
supplies for our command post, supplies and
equipment (tables, chairs, pop up covers) for
various functions we attend, or if we have to
set up a command post at an incident;
Name banners to display at functions.
Printing is a necessary expense, for things like
informational pamphlets.
What
structure does Sclar use?
Sclar was developed using the two standard
systems for groups similar to ours, the
Standardized Emergency Management Systems (SEMS)
and Incident Command Systems (ICS).
What is a Registered Disaster Service Worker (RDSW) and why should I become one?
To become an RDSW one must attend classes, including the OES class. One is then sworn in, by the head of County OES, or their designated official, as an RDSW. See the Registered Disaster Service Workers Liability Sheet, posted on the Forms Page, for additional information on your responsibilities and protections.
Simply put, if you are not an RDSW, you will
not be allowed to participate in an evacuation
plan, either under the direction of the Office
of Emergency Services, or Animal Services.
There are a lot of reasons for this; liability, reliability and training, to name a few. Before a civilian can be allowed by authorities into a restricted or dangerous area, that person has to be KNOWN. Of course, access is always at the authorities' discretion -- they will not let
RDSWs into an area deemed too dangerous.
Members of Sclar must have their rigs in top shape, tires all good, floor of the trailer solid and attached. People driving rigs will be determined by their actual driving experience with such rigs.
And, unfortunately, we have to keep security in mind. The world has nasty people in it. Think about it this way: If a rescue group comes down your drive to load your horses for evacuation, wouldn't you like to know who they are, and to know they have been screened as closely as possible?
All members who expect to be working on evacuations during a Call Out must become RDSWs.
Will I receive a RDSW ID?
If you've attended any of the RDSW swearing
in sessions, you will remember that IDs are NOT
handed out by the O.E.S. until/unless an
incident occurs. When you sign in at the
IC, you will surrender your driver's license to
the authorities, who will then provide you with
the DSW card. Your driver's license will
be exchanged for the DSW card when you sign out.
You WILL receive a SCLAR ID card. If
you are a member and do not have a card, please
contact us. We need your photo (which we take)
and produce the card. Initial
ID cards cost nothing, replacement IDs are
$5. Please remember that these
IDs are nothing more than name tags; they imply
no authority. They do provide authorities
with a means to know your name and your group
affiliation.
I already have a DSW agreement on file
with the Office of Emergency Services. Do
I need another, or a new one?
The authorities are looking for currently
dated appointments. Although there is no
expiration date on the DSW status, our County
OES is looking for signed agreements no older
than 18 months to 2 years. It never hurts
to go through the process yearly.
How do I become a member of Sclar?
You need to attend meetings, attend educational classes and simulations,
sign the Sclar volunteer contract, and ultimately get sworn in as an RDSW. Membership forms are available on the Forms page. Once your form is filled in,
please send it via USPS mail or email to
info@sclar.org
PARTICIPATION in the group is crucial.
Attendance at the trainings and lectures is
required so you know what to do, what is
expected of you as a volunteer, and are familiar
with terms, safety issues and the chain of
command we must observe.
Note: Meetings are held the 1st
Thursday of each month, EXCLUDING November &
December. Please
call (530) 647-6227 if you need additional
information. We welcome any potential members to
join us. You need not be a member to come
to a meeting, please be our guest.
I hear this group is county-wide. Is this true, and if so, how can I help in my area?
Evacuation is not only an issue in
one area of the county, THIS IS A COUNTY WIDE
CONCERN.
The idea is to have members all over the county with their own area-specific information. Local
members know their own areas, the little roads, the back ways, how to get in and out fast. The local "onsite" teams would have the ability to get into action fast, while other member Teams travel to help.
Mutual aid is vitally important. If the fire is in Shingle Springs, some members of that group may be busy getting their own animals and families out. So then the Rescue group, the Somerset / Mt. Aukum group, the
Cool group, would all be there to back them up, and vice versa. We would all work under the same structure, have the same training, talk the same government-mandated language (IC is
incident command, for example). No time wasted. Maximum efficiency.
Please contact us via phone or email for more information or questions.
What does all this cost me?
This is an all-volunteer group; At present,
there is no annual membership fee. Typically, no charge for classes, no charge for us to evacuate animals. There are no paid members at any level. We do have fund raisers and sell T-shirts
and Caps. When some of the bigger publications we put together are handed out we do ask for a donation to cover the cost.
The biggest member expense has already been paid -- your rigs! But, being all volunteer with no with outside funding, other than donations from the community, means
Sclar cannot supply members with their trailer supply kits. If you look at the lists posted on this site, you will find that you already have most of the items on it, such as shovels, hoes, hand-axe, wire cutters. The basic Animal First Aid Kits are fairly inexpensive. We all share best buys with each other. If you find Vet Wrap at a great price, let everyone know.
What about community education?
This is one of Sclar's most important functions. Many folks are not prepared for fires. They think it cannot happen to them, and of course, everyone hopes it never does! But fires happen and it's too late to prepare once the fire is headed your way. We have members available to give presentations to schools, 4H, FFA, Granges, Community Groups and riding clubs. In addition, we have a number of informative publications full of practical things that can be done to prepare for a fire. How to make sure your animals get out and get back, safely, to you.
Many of our Training Classes are open to the
public, For example, our class on Large Animal
First Aid and Handling Under Stress, is
absolutely first rate. Any horse owner would
come away from that class with more info than
they had going in, even very experienced horse
people.
If our efforts can help people get themselves and their animals ready, we'll feel our efforts have been successful.
Do you evacuate only horses?
No, while we are primarily a large animal emergency evacuation group, we would not leave small animals that we may be able to save. The rescues are planned in this way:
Sclar Trailer Teams will caravan out, with an official, be it police, animal
services or fire personnel (someone with authority). Local Noah's Wish volunteers will also be along to help with the small animals. With that in mind, remember, we always need donations of small animal cages and carriers.
Some of our members specialize in other large animals: Alpacas, llamas, goats and sheep. We even have members with emus.
What if my animal won't load in a trailer?
Sadly, if we cannot get your animal into a
trailer to transport it, we will have to leave
it behind. It is worth the time and
trouble to work with and train your animals to
load and trailer BEFORE urgent situations arise.
What don't you do?
Sclar is comprised of RAPID RESPONSE TRAILER TEAMS. We function in times of disaster. That is our primary responsibility.
- We do not rescue animals who are in need of new homes.
- We do not do non-disaster evacuations, such as upset trailers, trail accidents, and extractions. These are best handled by the
UCD Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT). This Team was formed by the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California. (See more information below.)
VERT is on call 24 hours a day should the team's assistance be needed. While activation of the team is at the discretion of the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services, the team is available for use by other counties through the Yolo County OES. The team is comprised of faculty, residents, students, and staff of the UC Davis VMTH who have undergone training sessions that simulate disaster situations. While VERT primarily specializes in large animal rescue, the team is prepared to rescue smaller animals should the need arise. A smaller off-shoot of the VERT specializes only in non-disaster large animal rescues, often involving air-lifts. Some previous rescues include a horse trapped in a ditch, a group of mules stranded in the Sierras, and an injured mule unable to move near Bishop. To request assistance from the Large Animal Rescue Team, please call the UC Davis VMTH Large Animal Clinic at (530)752-0290. If calling between 5pm and 8am during the week or anytime on the weekend, follow the automated instructions for reaching the after-hours emergency phone number.
-- from http://www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/home/VERT/
I don't have time to become a member or RDSW. Can I still help?
Yes! We accept:
- Donations
- Gifts for Fund Raising (for Silent or Live Auctions, for instance)
- Services, such as instruction in a particular field of expertise
- Participation in parades, at events
We need temporary housing situations for animals during an emergency. If you have extra stalls or pastures and would be willing to offer them in a time of need, that would be fantastic. This would likely be a less than 72-hour timeframe.
Any support you can provide will be most appreciated.
Sclar, Present and Future
Sclar has progressed rapidly since 2004, obtaining non-profit status, holding trainings (see the list in Programs), and expanding throughout El Dorado County. Many members have become Registered Disaster Service Workers, who, under the direction of OES, will be able to
assist with animal emergency evacuations.
Our classes will continue throughout the year, and we welcome your participation at any level, from donations of equipment and first aid supplies to hands-on volunteerism.
We look forward to having members from all parts of El Dorado County so that we can be of utmost assistance wherever disaster strikes.
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