Alberta has eight emergency livestock trailers in its fleet and now a course to train responders in their best use has been initiated at Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alta.
The Livestock Handling in Emergencies and Equipment Trailer Training Course will likely begin this summer at Lakeland’s emergency training centre, depending on instructor availability.
Kerri Sinclair, business development co-ordinator at the emergency training centre, said that 12 to 24 students are required for the course to run.
Course fees will be in the $300 to $375 range.
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Lorna Baird, executive director of Alberta Farm Animal Care, said the course will be open to anyone who might be involved in the rescue or handling of livestock involved in a transport accident, building collapse or other calamity.
The course will initially be offered at Lakeland in Vermilion and to groups that want to hire a visiting instructor, said training services manager Dennis Cunninghame.
Baird said instructors could be trained throughout the province that could offer the course to others at a local level.
The two-day course is expected to run on weekends to accommodate volunteer departments. It will feature class sessions and hands-on training, which will culminate in an evaluation and exam.
It will cover various aspects of response theory, such as scene safety, extrication procedures and traffic control.
Training related to the livestock emergency trailers will include a description of equipment and media and public relations while on the scene.
Livestock theory makes up a third part of the course. Animal senses and reflexes will be discussed, as well as regulations, liability and euthanasia decision-making and procedure.
In an April 17 news release, Cunninghame said the course casts a broad net.
“Ultimately we want to accommodate anyone who might benefit from this training as part of their role to aid in the response to animals in distress,” he said.
Baird said she’s hopeful that municipal decision makers will also take the course, because another four livestock emergency trailers would better equip the province to respond to livestock emergencies.
The trailers cost an estimated $22,000 each.
Support was provided through Growing Forward 2 and livestock groups represented through AFAC.
The livestock emergency trailers are located in Claresholm, Medicine Hat, Westlock, Vermilion, Red Deer, Hanna and Ponoka, with an eighth roaming unit deployed by AFAC.
More information on the course visit the Lakeland College emergency training centre website at www.emergency-training.ca.
