In recent years, wildfires have become one of North America's most frequent natural disasters. Use the following resources to prepare for wildfire events in your area and get back on your feet as quickly and safely as possible.

Wildfire Smoke and Your Patients

As irritating as smoke can be to people, it can cause health problems for animals as well. Smoke from wildfires and other large blazes affects pets, horses, livestock and wildlife. If you can see or feel the effects of smoke yourself, you also should take precautions to keep your animals – both pets and livestock – safe.

Continuity Planning for Wildfires

There are three essential aspects to business continuity planning: people, access to assets, and a place to work. Wildfires often disrupt at least one of those three. Because veterinary practices cannot facilitate working from home, practices have to come up with multiple contingency plans to reflect a wide variety of potential disruptions. Backup suppliers are likely just as affected by the fires as their clients, so hospitals should think about leveraging suppliers and partners in different states or regions. Plan now.

Protecting Patients during Wildfires

Time to prepare for an impending disaster is a luxury. Unanticipated natural disasters — such as a wildfire that spreads rapidly and unexpectedly due to wind conditions — highlight the importance of creating ready-to-go emergency plans for your staff and the animals in your care. Three key elements are identifying alternate treatment locations, prioritizing staff over patients, and providing your patients with their best chance at survival.

Advice from the National Fire Protection Association

Every year, wildfires burn across the U.S., and more and more people are living where wildfires are a real risk. Nearly 45 million homes currently intermingle with wildlands, and more than 72,000 U.S. communities are now at risk. By working together, residents and business owners can make their property and neighborhoods much safer from wildfire. Read more.

Preparing for Wildfires

Recent research by climate scientists suggests that climate warming patterns are likely to change precipitation patterns, shifting North America’s wildfire season from dry fall to even drier winter, with longer, more intense fires later in the year. More volatile, unpredictable wildfires are forcing security and business continuity managers in fire-prone regions to reconsider their continuity plans.

Protect What Matters Most

Make sure you have the right insurance coverages and a crisis response plan in place.

Address: PO Box 1629, Chicago, IL 60690-9850
Tel: 800-228-PLIT (7548)
Email: info@avmaplit.com

About Us | Privacy | California Privacy | Terms | How we get paid

HUB International Midwest Limited, HUB International Midwest Insurance Agency (CA), AVMA PLIT Broker and Consultant since 1962
© 2022 HUB International Limited. All rights reserved.