The members of DART© (Disaster Animal Response Team) are highly motivated and highly trained. Many have acquired their skills during more than 80 hours of classroom training and some have spent even more hours of field work. We distinguish two levels of DART members: a Basic Level (CORE©) and an Advanced Level (CADRE©).
The Basic Level (CORE Certified) DART Member will have completed all of the following training:
OPTIONAL: Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) - 20 Hours of Training / 2.0 CEU's
Many of our members are graduates from a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. This is a 20-hour training in disaster response, sponsored and overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training participants acquire the skills needed to deal with small fires, rescue people and animals who are trapped by debris, search buildings in a methodical way and apply basic first aid.
CERT Basic Training ends with a drill during which the participants have to demonstrate that they know how to apply what they have learned in class. In California, upon graduation (sometimes) they are sworn in as Disaster Service Worker Volunteers which makes them available as resources to local emergency managers. To find a Community Emergency Response Team near you, please follow this link
Until recently, CERT was a requirement for DART membership. Unfortunately, we have found that in most cases the implementation of the CERT program does not meet our standards. CERT instruction is taught by instructors who are not subject matter experts. While we understand that it is difficult to get people of the right caliber to teach classes, this has negative consequences for the value of what is being taught and what is being retained. There is not enough opportunity to put learned skills into practice. While DART members have several opportunities each year to participate in real disaster response and work in real emergency animal shelters, there rarely are comparable options for CERT members.
Of course there are exceptions, such as Sacramento CERT, which seems to have found a model that prepares their battalions and strike teams for action.
We see participation in CERT training as helpful for our disaster responders to make sure that their homes and their families are safe during and after a disaster. This will free them up for the difficult tasks of managing emergency animal shelters.
RECOMMENDED: FEMA Certifications - Approximately 9 Hours of Training / 0.9 CEU's
CERT graduates who wish to join DART have a lot more training to do. They have to have the following certifications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
- IS 100 - Introduction to the Incident Command System (3 hour training / 0.3 CEU's)
- IS 200 - ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents (3 hour training / 0.3 CEU's)
- IS 700 - NIMS An Introduction (3 hour training / 0.3 CEU's)
These certifications can be obtained online. Go to http://training.fema.gov and look for Independent Study.
REQUIRED: DART Animal Sheltering Training - Approximately 20 Hours of Training / 2.0 CEU's
Our Animal Sheltering Training combines the best practices of a large number of national organizations with our disaster response experience. In order to become a DART member, this is the only required training component. Currently, the training has the following elements (or units):
- Introduction to the County Animal Response Team (CART). A CART coordinates DARTs on a county level. If there is no County Animal Response Team, this unit will discuss the local Animal Control Organization and how DART relates to its work.
- Introduction to the Disaster Animal Response Team (DART). This module explains the reasons for having a DART, where the DART concept came from, the ties to CERT and the disaster response infrastructure.
- Disaster Management. Insights in how disasters unfold and an overview of the Incident Command System, the National Incident Management System and the National Response Framework.
- Shelter Organization. What does it take to set up and manage an emergency animal shelter.
- Shelter Operations. Protocols for everything from intake to veterinary medical care to animal care.
- Animal Intake. Nothing is more important for reunification of the animals with their people than filling out the paperwork correctly.
- Animal Photography. Especially when animals come to the shelter without their people, it is of vital importance to take good photographs.
- Veterinary Medical Operations. Everything the volunteer should know to be a valuable assistant to a Registered Veterinary Technician or a Veterinarian.
- Decontamination. Protocols for proper personal protection equipment, hygiene in handling animals, cage cleaning, and... decontamination (if needed).
- Communications. Radio communications protocols and the value of acquiring a HAM license.
- Reunification. Our ultimate goal: to return a healthy animal to its people. Protocols to follow, how to search for people, how to deal with temporary fostering.
- Animal behavior. Learn how to 'read' an animal and how to handle an animal in a safe way.
- Convergent Volunteers.During a disaster many people will offer their services. What can they do and how can we train them to do it well?
- What Is Next? Life after Basic Training.
- One day drill. Participants will rotate through different sections of an emergency animal shelter an will respond to realistic scenarios.
Upon completion participants in the 20 hours DART Training who have a valid Tetanus vaccination and are able to pass a background check will be issued a DART ID Badge and become eligible for deployment through DART
In Summary:
While it is possible to join DART by attending only the 20 hour DART Training, DART members are encouraged to expand their skills.
The Basic Level (CORE) Certification requires 49 hours of training (equivalent to 4.9 Continuing Education Units).
. Graduates have the knowledge to function in supervisory positions in emergency animal shelters.
Upon completion for this CORE© (Basic Level) certification, DART members will receive a CORE Certificate and can enroll in the Certificate in Animal Disaster Response (CADRE©) Program
