ARC Disaster Preparedness and Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When evacuating a shelter during a wildfire, which animals should be loaded onto transport vehicles LAST?
- Large livestock that require trailers (Correct answer)
- Small dogs in kennels
- Cats in carriers
- Animals deemed critical medical cases
Correct answer: Large livestock that require trailers
Large livestock require specialized trailers and loading time, so they should be staged and loaded last to avoid blocking evacuation routes for easier-to-transport animals.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a shelter-in-place plan for an animal rescue organization?
- To reduce costs associated with evacuation
- To protect animals and staff when evacuation is more dangerous than staying (Correct answer)
- To comply with local zoning regulations
- To manage volunteer scheduling during emergencies
Correct answer: To protect animals and staff when evacuation is more dangerous than staying
Shelter-in-place is used when the immediate danger of evacuating outweighs the risk of remaining, such as during a fast-moving chemical spill or tornado.
Question 3: A rescue volunteer arrives at a flood-affected neighborhood. Which of the following is the FIRST action they should take?
- Begin searching homes for trapped animals
- Contact the incident commander and check in (Correct answer)
- Set up a temporary triage area
- Distribute food and water to stranded animals
Correct answer: Contact the incident commander and check in
Volunteers must always check in with the incident commander first to ensure coordinated response, receive assignments, and avoid duplicating or undermining official efforts.
Question 4: Which document should an animal rescue organization update at least annually to remain effective during disasters?
- Volunteer appreciation certificates
- Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) (Correct answer)
- Social media content calendar
- Donor thank-you letter templates
Correct answer: Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
A Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) outlines how an organization maintains critical functions during disruptions and must be reviewed annually to reflect current staff, resources, and threats.
Question 5: During a mass rescue event, a responder notices a dog showing signs of heat stroke. What is the IMMEDIATE priority?
- Transport the dog to a veterinary clinic immediately
- Move the dog to shade and begin cooling with water (Correct answer)
- Administer oral fluids and monitor for 30 minutes
- Isolate the dog from other animals to prevent spreading illness
Correct answer: Move the dog to shade and begin cooling with water
Moving the animal to shade and applying cool (not ice cold) water to lower core temperature is the immediate field treatment for heat stroke before transport.
Question 6: What is the recommended minimum water storage per dog per day in a disaster preparedness kit?
- 0.5 liters
- 1 liter (Correct answer)
- 2 liters
- 4 liters
Correct answer: 1 liter
General guidance recommends at least 1 liter of water per dog per day for drinking, with additional amounts needed for cleaning and first aid.
Question 7: Which ICS position is responsible for tracking all animals received, treated, and released during a disaster response operation?
- Operations Section Chief
- Safety Officer
- Documentation Unit Leader (Correct answer)
- Logistics Section Chief
Correct answer: Documentation Unit Leader
The Documentation Unit Leader maintains accurate records of all incident activities, including animal intake, treatment, and disposition during a disaster response.
ARC Disaster Preparedness and Response 2
When evacuating a shelter during a wildfire, which animals should be loaded onto transport vehicles LAST?