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The City of San Antonio pays special consideration to pets during major disasters or large-scale emergencies in accordance with State and Federal regulations. Citizens should always have an emergency plan in place in order to care and transport pets if the need should arise.
In October 2006, President Bush signed into law the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act of 2006. This legislation mandated several changes to the Robert T. Stafford Act Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, specifically to develop plans that take into account the needs of individuals with pets and service animals prior to, during, and following a major disaster or emergency.
In June 2007, Governor Rick Perry signed Simba’s Law, an act relating to the evacuation and sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster. This law allows for State assistance in developing plans for the humane evacuation, transport, and temporary sheltering of service animals and household pets in a disaster.
The above referenced legislation does not mandate that pets be co-sheltered with their owners. The City of San Antonio is in compliance with both Federal and State law. During Hurricane Dean, Animal Services identified a number of kennels, collars, and leashes and was adequately prepared to deal with an evacuation and sheltering of pets.
Red Cross disaster shelters cannot accept pets because of States’ health and safety regulations with the exception of service animals that assist people with disabilities.
The City of San Antonio considers the threat of hurricanes along the Texas Gulf Coast to be one of the most potentially disastrous and life-threatening events we may face. While most of the hurricane force winds are not likely to reach San Antonio, our city is geographically located in a place which makes it a primary destination for evacuating jurisdictions faced with a looming hurricane event. We utilize a shelter hub system to respond to such an event.
Our Goals
Shelter Survey Team
A multi-disciplined working group whose mission is to identify large vacant structures (minimum 50K sq ft) within San Antonio to utilize as potential Mega Shelters during a large-scale gulf coast evacuation. Later an Emergency Operations Plan is developed which includes maps, schematics, sleeping areas, food service areas, medical facilities, showers, and restrooms. Finally, the team determines the number of evacuees which could be safely housed at the location, and the number of staff needed to operate the shelter 24 hours, transportation needs security plans.
Shelter Hub Operations
Once a large-scale evacuation takes place, the Alamo Regional Response Command (ARRC) is activated and begins making preparations for sheltering evacuees. The ARRC is made up of professional first responders, both uniformed and civilian, and work within the Incident Command System (ICS) Structure.
Mega Shelters
During the Hurricane Katrina evacuation, the decision was made to close traditional American Red Cross shelters and utilize mega shelters which can accommodate more people with less staffing. The City of San Antonio did not use City-owned revenue generating facilities such as the Convention Center and Sporting Arenas.
Non Traditional Emergency Responders
A shelter hub operation requires the use of multiple disciplines and jurisdictions. During any shelter hub operation we depend on many non-traditional first responders in order to establish and maintain a very high standard of living during the operation. They are finance, budget and purchasing, hospitals and medical staffing, volunteers, public health, public works and corporate and private partners in addition to police, EMS, fire and hazmat personnel.
Medical Special Needs
As a primary shelter hub community, it is important to plan for the care and housing of medical special needs residents. This often requires specialized equipment and personnel. Baptist Child and Family Services (BCFS) serves as our primary medical special needs service provider during large-scale hurricane evacuations.
In view of extreme hazards that exist when ice forms on high-speed traffic systems, the City of San Antonio’s primary goal during a winter storm will be to keep as much of the Freeway Main Lane Systems open as possible. All first responders are aware that the first locations to be covered with ice are overhead or suspended-span structures such as bridges, overpasses, trestles, and the complex interchanges involved in the Freeway System Main Lanes.
Monitoring the Weather
All command and general staff members will monitor the current weather conditions being broadcast on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio channel and notify standby crews from critical agencies and departments in the event an ice event does take place. For example, Public Works Station 1, the Texas Department of Transportation, District Transguide Operations Manager, SAPD Commanding Officer, and the Traffic and Emergency Operations Section. Weather monitoring will continue until the Weather Bureau declares surfaces are ICE IMMINENT or UNLIKELY.
Surface Ice Imminent
When the Weather Bureau forecast indicates “SURFACE ICE IMMINENT” all command and general staff members will be notified that the Ice Plan has taken effect. This plan is activated, regardless of the time of occurrence. The following departments and agencies will be notified of the plan activations: Commanding Officer, Communications Unit, COSA Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Fire Department Communications Unit, Public Works, Station 1, Texas Department of Public Safety, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, who will notify the County Public Works Department
Bexar County Fire Marshall/Emergency Management Coordinator. If the Weather Bureau forecast changes from IMMINENT to UNLIKELY all previously alerted department/agencies will be immediately advised.
Ice Plan Impementation
As part of the city Ice Plan, vehicles carrying anti-ice substances will be deployed to heavily iced Main Lane System areas. Each spray convoy will consist of 2 marked police units, 2 TxDOT escort vehicles and a spray truck.
Spray trucks and deicing equipment will leave the maintenance yards and begin a predetermined route on the Main Lanes of the Freeway System. Police vehicles will provide rear police escort for the trucks and also block any feeder or entrance ramps leading to bridge or crossover areas. The spray trucks will spray three (3) lanes at a time and travel at a slow speed. After the liquid ice control agent has been applied, surface will appear wet and dark.
Freeway Closures
If any responder determines that road conditions warrant the closure of any particular part of the Main Lanes of the Freeway system, the consensus of TxDOT and SAPD at the Command Post is required prior to closing/opening of any particular part of the Main Lanes of the Freeway System. If conditions warrant the closure of the entire Freeway Main Lane System, the Chief of Police or his designee shall have sole authority to act in behalf of the Police Department in any decision to close the entire Freeway Main Lane System. The safety and welfare of the driving public will be the primary concern.
EOC Activation
If conditions become severe and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated, the EOC will become the primary Command Post for all city Ice Plan operations.
The OEM has created three Local Hazard Response Plans designed to address emergency events that the San Antonio area is particularly vulnerable to: the mass sheltering of hurricane evacuees; the sheltering of pets in disasters; and disruption caused by ice storms.
