Corner Store ConversationsHurricanes. Wildfires. It is already shaping up to be an interesting year for Florida in terms of disasters. At the same time that some Florida communities are recovering from recent wildfires, we are faced with the start of hurricane season on June 1. Before then, there is Hurricane Preparedness Week and the start of the 2006 sales tax holiday for hurricane supplies (read on for more information on the holiday). Take inventory of what is still usable in your disaster kits and resupply as needed. Replace out-dated and nonworking items. Purchase needed supplies. Store the items in an easy-to-access location in labeled, waterproof containers. And make a kit for each of your animals! Suggested items for these kits can be found on the HSUS and EARS Web sites. Working on your preparedness plans now will prevent you from wondering what to do in the face of an emergency. If you have any tips or resources you would like to share, send them our way! 2006 Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax HolidayGovernor Jeb Bush recently signed legislation authorizing Florida's second annual 12-day sales tax holiday for hurricane preparedness. The Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is an important component of Governor Bush's comprehensive plan to instill a 'culture of preparedness' in Florida. The tax holiday begins on Saturday, May 21st and ends on June 1, the first day of the 2006 Hurricane Season. The 12-day holiday will save Floridians an estimated $41 million. For more information on the sales tax holiday and qualifying items, please visit the following Governor
Bush Approves 2006 Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday 4/27/06 EARS Workshops a SuccessOn May 6th and 7th, about 150 people assembled to be trained as volunteers with the United Animal Nations Emergency Animal Rescue Service (UAN-EARS), a Florida SART partner agency. The 8-hour workshop was led by National Director Kay Mayfield each day. EARS Southeast Region Director and SART Advisory Board member, Raquel Aluisy, also led some discussion with other EARS volunteers sharing their disaster experiences from Hurricanes Charley and Katrina. During lunch, up to three breakout sessions were conducted. Two of particular note were the sessions covering SART and the Hillsborough county SART unit called the Community of Hillsborough Animal and Agriculture Response Team (CHAART) among others. Thanks to all who attended and made the event a success. And special thanks to the EARS volunteers who are new SART members! Some pictures taken during the event are posted here. Several Agencies Represented at Plans Section TrainingOver 25 people attended the Plans Section Training held on May 8th in Gainesville. Participants were there representing the Mississippi Board of Animal Health, Mississippi State University, USDA, and the Divisions of Animal Industry and Agriculture Environmental Services from FDACS. The Planning Section is an integral part of the incident command structure and the intent of this training was to expose more people to the inner workings of the section. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions about forms utilized during a response, to practice filling out the forms, and to network with other participants. Photos from the event can be viewed in the SART Photo Gallery. A special thank you goes out to the Florida Farm Bureau who allowed us the use of their classroom for the day. Web Design Team Member Accepts New PositionWe may take it for granted how items on the Florida SART Web site get updated, designed, and eventually posted for all to experience. A few talented people work on our Web site design and programming team led by Dr. Jiannong Xin at the University of Florida. It is the members of this team who make our site run. Rina Olsen has announced that she will be leaving us for a permanent position elsewhere at the university. She has been working with SART for over a year and a half, contributing her knowledge and sunny attitude on every new project. We wish her the best of luck in her new job and future endeavors. Thank you Rina! Horse Trailer Crash DatabaseIn order to improve the safety of horse trailers, an ongoing survey of trailer crash victims is being conducted by USRider. Data collected by the survey is being compiled into a database to analyze the factors that contribute to trailer crashes. Results will be used to promote trailer safety awareness in the equine community and lobby for trailer manufacturing requirements, among others. The downloadable PDF file can be accessed from the USRider Web page. Florida Animal Disaster Preparedness DaySunday, May 7, 2006 was declared by Governor Jeb Bush to be Florida Animal Disaster Preparedness Day. The resolution stated that Florida is extremely susceptible to hurricanes of disastrous proportions, there is a high proportion of senior residents that have pets, and that Florida has become a national leader in planning for animal evacuation and sheltering. "An estimated 52 percent of all Florida households include animals, and the bonds between these human and animal families are often strong [and] an estimated 25 percent of caregivers refuse to evacuate without their pets, jeopardizing public safety and hampering disaster relief efforts." "Florida has become a national leader in planning for animal evacuation and sheltering during disasters. Floridians can continue to set a national example by boldly including animals in their disaster plans." Subsequently, although Floridians were requested to observe May 7th as the day for preparing for animal needs, we should utilize the entire month (and beyond!) "to recognize the important public safety and individual mental health benefits of incorporating animals into disaster plans" and improve our efforts. Thanks go to Advisory Board member Raquel Aluisy of UAN EARS for her work on submitting this resolution to the Governor and tracking its progress through signing! Members Only: Advisory Board Meeting MinutesA new members-only benefit has been added! Minutes from the Advisory Board meetings are now posted on the Members Area screen of the Web site under Member Only Information. The March 8, 2006 minutes are currently available. The Advisory Board meets quarterly according to the schedule posted on the SART calendar. Dates are subject to change in the event of an emergency. Look for the minutes within three weeks from the completion of the meeting. The next Advisory Board meeting is June 7, 2006. Aquaculture's Hurricane Technical BulletinThe newest Technical Bulletin produced by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Aqauculture is now available in time for Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 21-27, 2006. Aimed mainly at the aquaculture community, there are also more general articles on Florida's hurricane history and family and farm disaster planning relevant to any animal or agricultural operation. A helpful listing of telephone numbers for state and federal agencies is also included. The bulletin can be accessed by clicking here. The SART SENTINELEditor: Elizabeth Wang, SART Coordinator, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry Associate Editor: Gregory S. Christy, DVM, State ESF-17 Coordinator, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry The SART SENTINEL is an e-mail newsletter prepared monthly by Elizabeth Wang and the staff of the Florida State Agricultural Response Team. Past issues of the Sentinel are archived on the Florida SART Web Site: <www.flsart.org>. If you have a story or photo that you would like to have considered for publication in The SART SENTINEL, contact the Editors at <SARTNewsEditor-L@lists.ifas.ufl.edu>. For additional information on agriculture, animals, and disaster, visit: Florida SART Home Page: <www.flsart.org> For a complete list of all SART participating agencies, visit the Florida SART Web site: <www.flsart.org>. Tip of the Month! -- DHS Wants Kids to Get Ready!
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