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HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT HC-DART?
What is a Disaster Animal Response Team?
How Do You Become a Member of the HC-DART?
What Counties in Tennessee Currently Have DARTs in Place?
Who Are Members of a Disaster Animal Response Team?
How Many Members of The HC-DART Are There?
What is Involved to Becoming Credentialed?
Members of HC-DART Participated in Hands-On Training June 2007
What is a Disaster Animal Response Team (DART)?
Tennessee Disaster Animal Response Teams is a state-wide program under the authority of the State Veterinarian, Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The DART program was created in the 1990's, but has been expanded since both Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina have occurred. These 2 events showed deficiencies in emergency response in regards to responding to needs of animals. HC-DART was developed collaboratively by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department and UT Extension-Hamilton County in 2006.
How Do You Become a Member of the HC-DART?
Contact Ray Burden, the County Director of the Hamilton County UT-Extension Office. Dr. Burden will sign you up for the training class and talk to you about how to complete the online training to become a member of the HC-DART.
What Counties in Tennessee Have DARTs in Place?
There are currently only two counties in East Tennessee that have completed the steps to have a DART in place. These counties are Knox and Hamilton Counties. Below is a map of all the counties in Tennessee and their DART status as of March 2008.
Who Are Members of a Disaster Animal Response Team?
DARTs are made up of credentialed persons who can enter critical areas during an emergency involving animals. These individuals can range from veterinarians and vet technicians to interested animals lovers with some type of experience with animals (livestock, exotic, or companion animals).
HC-DART membership consists of Health Department staff, Agriculture Extension staff, veterinarians, vet technicians, farmers, animal control officers, and other community volunteers.
How Many Members of the HC-DART Are There?
HC-DART has over 60 fully credentialed members and additional persons are in the process of becoming fully credentialed.
What is Involved to Becoming Credentialed?
Becoming credentialed involves a day-long training at the UT-Extension office off of Bonny Oaks Drive in Cha ttanooga. In addition to the classroom training, there is some online training from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that can be done whenever you choose. The online training revolves around learning about the Incident Command System (ICS), which is training that details who's in charge during an emergency and how we would all work together during that time.
Members of HC-DART Participated in Hands-on Training June 2007
The HC-DART is the only team in the state that has completed hands-on training through the American Humane Association. The 2-day training, “Animal Emergency Services”, was a voluntary training that HC-DART members could attend free of charge. Team members gained hands-on experience handling dogs, cats, and horses. In addition, a mock disaster was held which exercised skills in opening an animal shelter. The HC-DART is the only team in the state that has completed hands-on training through the American Humane Association. The 2-day training, “Animal Emergency Services”, was a voluntary training that HC-DART members could attend free of charge. Team members gained hands-on experience handling dogs, cats, and horses. In addition, a mock disaster was held which exercised skills in opening an animal shelter.
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