Sonoma woman’s project raising awareness about raging fires and livestock

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Imagine, for a moment, that an out-of-control wildfire is bearing down on your property. Who and what do you save?

First, obviously, family: children, spouse, parents. Then there's your personal valuables.

Are you forgetting something? What about the animals?

We're not simply talking dogs and cats (though they matter too, of course). We're talking about another creatures that are ubiquitous here in Sonoma, but also easy to overlook: livestock.

Horses, cows, pigs, goats – where do they go, when the flames flicker too close?

This isn't merely a theoretical exercise.

The 2015 fire season has been an especially devastating one throughout bone-dry Northern California, with large-scale blazes ripping through forests, fields and communities. The recent Valley Fire in Lake County torched whole towns, displacing hundreds and causing at least three human fatalities.

Again, though, what about the animals – the big ones? Who looks out for our plus-sized four-legged friends?

Glen Ellen resident Julie Atwood wants to provide an answer to that burning question. It's the reason she founded the HALTER project, an effort aimed at coordinating ranchers and livestock-owners with emergency response personnel, and educating folks about how to protect themselves and their livestock in the event of an emergency.

Atwood grew up in Central California and has spent her life around ranching and horses. She and her husband, who own ranches in Sonoma and the northern Sacramento Valley, met though the equine trade.

She said the HALTER project – the acronym stands for 'Horse and Livestock Team Emergency Rescue'– began as a training for her own ranch employees, but quickly expanded as neighbors and fellow ranchers perked up and spread the word.

Asked if the recent rash of fires has helped drive enthusiasm for the project, Atwood agrees.

'It's human nature. People pay a lot more attention to emergency preparedness right after an emergency,' she says.

For her part, Atwood says, she began thinking about the issue years ago, when California's persistent drought first began. 'At the time,' she says, 'I had no idea how bad it would get.'

And, she's quick to point out, fire isn't the only risk. Floods, mudslides, earthquakes – there are innumerable ways Mother Nature can throw her weight around.

The most essential step in any emergency, Atwood says, is to be prepared. Creating defensible space in the case of fire is a necessity, as is mapping out a plan for where you'll go and how you'll safely shelter your animals – plus having the proper equipment on hand, including a backup generator to allow for water to be pumped even if the power is out.

'Before you need to be rescued,' she says, 'you should do everything you can to prevent that need.'

On HALTER's Web site (halterfund.org) you can find links to resources, preparedness tips, trainings and partner organizations, including vets, local fire crews and emergency responders.

When a rescue is required, Atwood says, response teams need to understand animal behavior: how to approach large animals, herd them safely and effectively and load them into rescue equipment.

(As a dual-use bonus, Atwood adds, the large animal rescue equipment can also be used to extricate people.)

The impetus to save livestock obviously comes from a place of compassion, and there's a clear financial incentive as well. But, Atwood stresses, there's a third consideration.

'In the case of a large-scale disaster like a fire or a flood, another thing nobody wants to think about, but it's a reality: You can be looking at a lot of carcasses,' she says 'And they're impacting your water sources.'

The bottom line for Atwood: This impacts anyone who owns large animals, whether a modest flock of sheep or a sweeping herd of cattle. It's something they should be thinking about actively, she stresses.

As Atwood says, when it comes to devastating disasters hitting Sonoma and points beyond, 'It's a matter of when, not if.'

Imagine, for a moment, that an out-of-control wildfire is bearing down on your property. Who and what do you save?

First, obviously, family: children, spouse, parents. Then there's your personal valuables.

Are you forgetting something? What about the animals?

We're not simply talking dogs and cats (though they matter too, of course). We're talking about another creatures that are ubiquitous here in Sonoma, but also easy to overlook: livestock.

Horses, cows, pigs, goats – where do they go, when the flames flicker too close?

This isn't merely a theoretical exercise.

The 2015 fire season has been an especially devastating one throughout bone-dry Northern California, with large-scale blazes ripping through forests, fields and communities. The recent Valley Fire in Lake County torched whole towns, displacing hundreds and causing at least three human fatalities.

Again, though, what about the animals – the big ones? Who looks out for our plus-sized four-legged friends?

Glen Ellen resident Julie Atwood wants to provide an answer to that burning question. It's the reason she founded the HALTER project, an effort aimed at coordinating ranchers and livestock-owners with emergency response personnel, and educating folks about how to protect themselves and their livestock in the event of an emergency.

Atwood grew up in Central California and has spent her life around ranching and horses. She and her husband, who own ranches in Sonoma and the northern Sacramento Valley, met though the equine trade.

She said the HALTER project – the acronym stands for 'Horse and Livestock Team Emergency Rescue'– began as a training for her own ranch employees, but quickly expanded as neighbors and fellow ranchers perked up and spread the word.

Asked if the recent rash of fires has helped drive enthusiasm for the project, Atwood agrees.

'It's human nature. People pay a lot more attention to emergency preparedness right after an emergency,' she says.

For her part, Atwood says, she began thinking about the issue years ago, when California's persistent drought first began. 'At the time,' she says, 'I had no idea how bad it would get.'

And, she's quick to point out, fire isn't the only risk. Floods, mudslides, earthquakes – there are innumerable ways Mother Nature can throw her weight around.

The most essential step in any emergency, Atwood says, is to be prepared. Creating defensible space in the case of fire is a necessity, as is mapping out a plan for where you'll go and how you'll safely shelter your animals – plus having the proper equipment on hand, including a backup generator to allow for water to be pumped even if the power is out.

'Before you need to be rescued,' she says, 'you should do everything you can to prevent that need.'

On HALTER's Web site (halterfund.org) you can find links to resources, preparedness tips, trainings and partner organizations, including vets, local fire crews and emergency responders.

When a rescue is required, Atwood says, response teams need to understand animal behavior: how to approach large animals, herd them safely and effectively and load them into rescue equipment.

(As a dual-use bonus, Atwood adds, the large animal rescue equipment can also be used to extricate people.)

The impetus to save livestock obviously comes from a place of compassion, and there's a clear financial incentive as well. But, Atwood stresses, there's a third consideration.

'In the case of a large-scale disaster like a fire or a flood, another thing nobody wants to think about, but it's a reality: You can be looking at a lot of carcasses,' she says 'And they're impacting your water sources.'

The bottom line for Atwood: This impacts anyone who owns large animals, whether a modest flock of sheep or a sweeping herd of cattle. It's something they should be thinking about actively, she stresses.

As Atwood says, when it comes to devastating disasters hitting Sonoma and points beyond, 'It's a matter of when, not if.'

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