Community bands together for Chimney Fire animal evacuations
Two senior horses evacuated by HEET on Monday. All photographs courtesy of Rachel Bodekker.
Volunteers evacuate horses from the fire
–Volunteers with Horse Emergency Evacuation Team, or HEET, has evacuated four horses from the Chimney Fire. After three tries, HEET volunteers Rachel Boddeker and Cy Field, pulled the horses out and to safety.
“We arrived at the incident command (IC) center on Running Deer Road around 7 p.m. Saturday night to be available but no calls came in so we left around 10:30 and returned home to Los Osos,” said Boddeker. Around 3 p.m. Sunday, Boddeker said a call came in from a man requesting that his two senior horses be evacuated. “So, we headed back to the IC center. Two deputy sheriffs escorted us through the fire zone but Cal Fire turned us back because the fire was about to jump the road. We got back to the IC center around 10 p.m. and headed home. By 10 a.m. Monday morning we were told it was now safe to head in, so we went back.”
Boddeker and Field pulled four horses from the fire zone on Monday. After being escorted by the SLO County Sheriff’s Office, the two horses HEET was originally called about were loaded on the trailer and delivered to a nearby ranch. “Just as we unloaded the two old guys, one of the ranch owners came in from a back field and said the fire was approaching that property. We pulled the two ranch horses out and delivered them to safety then went back for the old guys who were safe in the large dirt arena. They were taken to safety at one of our volunteer’s facility.” Boddeker said that the fire had burned right up to the edge of the road at the point they had been turned back Sunday night.
View of the burn area where Bodekker and Field were turned back on Sunday night.
Bodekker said the emergency personnel at the fire went “above and beyond to help get these horses out. They are working to the point of exhaustion and still remain courteous, helpful, and professional. I was very impressed and we could not have saved those horses without their help.”
Along with HEET and the county’s public agencies and relief organizations stepping up to aid residents and their pets, some private citizens are offering resources as well. Beth Quaintance, SLO County Field Representative for the Salvation Army’s Paso Robles Office said, “This county is wonderful about stepping up and taking care of one another. I just returned from a meeting at the fair grounds, and the Red Cross shelter and our food canteen are on standby because the community has stepped up so well.” If needed, Quaintance said, “we will mobilize and whatever people need for themselves and their pets will be accommodated.”
A close up of the fire taken Saturday night.
Community animal care resources
Gigi Greene, a Nacimiento Lake area resident, has also offered to house and care for small animals. “I have barns, stalls, and pens and can help take care of a variety of animals.” Greene said that her property where she can house animals is out of the fire zone and she has access to other properties for sheltering and caring for horses and can help evacuate horses. Greene can be reached on her cell phone at (310) 591-6995.
Brenna Jones, a veterinary technician at Oak Park Veterinary Clinic in Grover Beach launched the Chimney Fire Animal Relief Facebook page to collect food and supplies for pets. Drop-off locations throughout the county are listed as well as boarding and stabling facilities offering space for displaced animals. Jones said the best way to contact her with questions or help is to post a message on the Facebook page or use the “Send Email” link in the top right corner.
Temporary kenneling for household pets can be provided through a joint effort between the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services (OES) and San Luis Obispo County Animal Services. Ron Alsop, OES Emergency Services Manager said the OES works very closely with animal services to coordinate care for animals during emergencies. “So far the temporary shelter has not been needed for this fire,” said Alsop, “but it can be set up very quickly.”
Susan McElhinney, HEET President, said that HEET volunteers are notified when a horse needs help by the emergency service agencies that are on the scene or by a citizen call to the hot line: (805) 466-7457. “We can help with more than horses,” said McElhinney. “We travel with a variety of crates and cages and when we are called out for fires or other disasters, we take as many animals as we can.” McElhinney said residents can register their horses and their addresses with HEET. “When we have emergencies like this fire, volunteers get on the phone and call people who live in the area to see if they need help with their animals.” To register horses, choose “Horse Registration Form” from the HEET website.
To report stray or injured household pets, call SLO County Animal Services: (805) 781-4409. To find a lost pet call: (805) 781-4407.
To report an injured wild animal, call the Pacific Wildlife Care hot line: (805) 543-9453.
A disaster preparedness checklist is available from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
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