The Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team (VDART) was established in 2007 in order to strengthen and support the state’s capacity to respond to animal needs in the event of a disaster. We provide vital resources and advice to pet owners, animal-related businesses and non-profits, local communities, and state agencies in this area. Read More
Helping Animals In Disasters
Training Information
Volunteer Training Requirements and Information
In order to be deployed by VDART to a disaster, our team members must
- 1. Return a completed Volunteer Application Form and Waiver.
- 2. Be at least 18 years of age.
- 3. Complete (at a minimum) Level One of the following training curriculum.
DART Level One Training (Required)
Volunteering for Your State Disaster Animal Response Team free, self-paced webinar that introduces volunteers to their state disaster animal response team. Learn more here.
Emergency Animal Sheltering Course
Offered by VDART throughout the year.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Independent Study Courses
(free, self-paced and on-line)
- 1. FEMA IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS)
- 2. FEMA IS-700.B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
- 3. FEMA IS-10.A: Animals in Disasters: Awareness & Preparedness
- 4. FEMA IS-11.A: Animals in Disasters: Community Planning
- 5. FEMA IS-111.A: Livestock in Disasters
DART Level Two Training (Optional)
- 1. Small and Large Animal Search and Rescue
- 2. Human CPR and First Aid
- 3. Small and Large Animal Handling and First Aid
- 4. Community Emergency Response Training (CERT)
DART Level Three Training (Optional)
- 1. Animal and human rapid water rescue
- 2. Animal and human rope incline rescue
- 3. Advanced ICS training
- 4. Advanced search and rescue
- 5. Introduction to hazardous materials
Other Training (Optional)
- 1. Hands-on training (volunteer at your local animal shelter!)
- 2. Formal and informal animal disaster drills
- 3. Exotic animal handling
- 4. Shelter management simulation exercises
- 5. Communications equipment and protocols
- 6. Cross training with other state and local DART teams
- 7. American Red Cross training
– First Aid/CPR
– Introduction to Disaster Services
– Introduction to Disaster Services Mass Care: An Overview
– Shelter Operations
– Shelter Simulation
– Mass Care
– Emergency Assistance to Families
VDART Video Training Library
This library is meant to be a resource for you to pursue training in the area of your interests. There are numerous websites with thousands of training videos, so the VDART’s Training and Development Committee selected a few that would be pertinent to our emergency sheltering work. Jump in and have fun!
Free Red Cross classes
Free Red Cross classes for non-Red Cross volunteers. One particular class that will assist VDART members is: “Psychological First Aid”. Here’s the link to register: http://bit.ly/ext_register
Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Conference via ASPCApro
https://www.aspcaonline.org/#/catalog/77bf1b6d-aabc-470a-b983-7859c229eeb8
- Caring this much is exhausting
- Engaging volunteers
- Enacting laws that keep pets and people together
ASPCA On-line Learning Lab
https://www.aspcapro.org/training-online-courses/online-courses-aspca-learning-lab
- 7 Ways to Reduce Stress When Handling Dogs and Cats |Register to Enroll
- How to Interact with Dogs to Minimize Stress|Register/Login to Enroll
- How to Communicate Shelter Animal Behavior Clearly|Register/Login to Enroll
ASPCApro Tools & Tips
https://www.aspcapro.org/resource-library
- Emergency Foster Resources https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/emergency-foster-resources
- Are your county and state ready to respond animal emergency https://www.aspcapro.org/webinar/2019-07-18-110000/are-your-county-and-state-ready-respond-animal-emergency
- Travel bag/Pet evacuations https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/travel-bag-download-pet-evacuations-plus-disaster-shareables
- NCARE checklist/Rate your disaster readiness https://www.aspcapro.org/resource/ncare-checklist-rate-your-disaster-readiness