To the rescue Specialized team assists large animals in trouble
As part of the training on larger-animal rescue awareness, firefighters had to extract a fake horse from a building using a sled and straps at Washington County Fire Academy.
Firefighters Jacob Baird, left, and Justin Baird learn how to read a horse’s body language during the training at Washington County Fire Academy.
During a part of the training, firefighters had to rig a pulley system to pull a horse up to a safe zone at Washington County Fire Academy.
Washington County Fire Academy recently held larger-animal rescue awareness training. Instructor Tammy Schweitzer, right, instructs firefighters Jacob Baird and Justin Baird how to handle a horse while wearing full gear at Washington County Fire Academy in Washington on Aug. 7.
The call comes in to emergency personnel. A 10-year-old quarter horse gelding has stumbled down a ravine and cannot get back up the steep embankment without assistance.
For generations, there was no agency trained to assist a large animal in distress. But no more. Since 2009, the Washington County Animal Response Team has worked to save large animals – from horses to deer, goats, cows, red-tailed hawks and even dogs and cats – from emergencies that have including fires, crashes, getting stuck in a retention pond, and going down in a field, ditch or sinkhole.
Since the team’s inception, it has responded to more than three dozen large animal rescues and another dozen involving smaller or exotic animals. Most recently, the team rescued a cow stuck in a ravine in North Bethlehem Township. It was also called into service more than two years ago to help with the temporary evacuation of animals due to a lightning strike at the MarkWest Energy plant on Route 519 (Western Avenue) in Chartiers Township and helped rescue animals trapped in a barn fire in Cecil Township in 2009.
The impetus for the development of the team was a devastating fire 15 years ago at The Meadows Racetrack in North Strabane Township that killed 28 standardbred race horses stabled in a barn.
“The majority of the time, we are successful,” said Ed Childers, coordinator for the team based out of the North Strabane Township Fire Department. “When a horse or large animal is down, a veterinarian notifies 911, who calls us. A vet is always at the scene.”
While much of Washington County and the surrounding counties are rural, not all firefighters are familiar or comfortable dealing with a large animal like a horse or cow. WaCART recently sponsored a seminar for first responders, giving them some up-close-and-personal time with equines.
“The objective is to look to expose first responders to an initial interaction with a larger animal,” Childers said. “It can lessen the firefighter’s anxiety to be around a larger animal while teaching them how to safely interact with animals.”
Childers said catastrophic events often put animals in peril, as well as humans.
“The firefighters are there for people, but once that is completed, they move on to the animals,” he said. “We want to build a respect so first responders are safe in and around animals because animals can get into the darnedest situations.”
Childers said that Washington County has a substantial population of horses, cattle, alpacas, llamas, goats and sheep.
“Most veterinarians are aware of the team and what we can do,” Childers said. “Every situation is unique. Our primary objective is to keep everyone safe while helping the animal.”
The training focused on horses, with first responders learning about breeds, anatomy, reading body language, equipment, types of barns and the behavior of animals, including reading the animals’ demeanor, removing them from a barn or corral and loading and unloading them from a trailer.
And thanks to Cisco and Ben, brought to the seminar by team member Tammy Schweitzer, they got some hands-on experience. The well-trained equines were the perfect animals for the firefighters to gain experience.
“You need to talk to them,” Schweitzer told the firefighters. “Give them a rub, get them under control.”
Midway firefighters and cousins Jacob and Dustin Baird talked to one horse, reassuring the animal as they tred to coax him out of what could be a burning barn.
“You’ll be OK buddy,” they told the horse.
Jacob Baird said he has a little bit of experience with large animals. Midway fire Chief Douglas Baird said his department has received several calls for incidents involving anything from horses to sheep, cattle, llamas and alpacas.
Training is key, Childers said.
“The more you train, the more you know,” Childers said.
The firefighters even got a chance to build a system to safely remove a horse from a pit, using a dummy horse and the basement of a building at the Washington County Firegrounds in Chartiers Township.
Team members, which include both firefighters and other community volunteers, have received a vast array of training, including ice and water rescue, swift water rescue and small animal sheltering.
The team will sponsor a Save-Your-Horse training seminar on Nov. 5 at the North Strabane Township Fire Department on Route 19. For more information, check the department’s Website at nsvfd.org. WaCART also accepts donations, including animal response equipment. For more information, check out the Facebook page at WaCART.