The Australian Horse Industry Council (AHIC)

The Australian Horse Industry Council (AHIC) is represented at the highest levels in discussions, at the Federal and Sate levels, during this current emergency. We will keep you advised through this site and by emails to registrants on the Horse Emergency Contact Database.





Contact Database


Summary: A method of conveying information to organisations or individuals in times of emergency using fax, email or SMS.


Problem: Emergency management organisations have difficulty coordinating services to horse people in times of emergency. This results in unnecessary risk to welfare of horses, inefficient use of emergency resources and potential risk to human life. The situation is caused by the fragmented nature of the horse industry with its multitude of organisations and interests. Compounding the problem, many horse people have no affiliations.


Solution: An internet based database containing the contact details of organisations or individuals. Organisations indicate the geographic area covered, the number of members and the number of horses affiliated. Individuals advise the number of horses and where they are located. A password system allows the data to be modified.


What types of emergencies are covered? Bushfires are the most common emergency where emergency authorities have trouble with horses. Recent fires in Canberra and around Sydney caused the death of many horses. Other threats are floods, disease outbreaks and seasonal problems such as plant or botulism poisoning.


Emergency information provided to horse organisations: Larger horse organisations, such as the EFA, Pony Clubs and the larger breed societies, will be important in the overall flow of information because many horse owners may not join HECD as individuals. The larger organisations have their own communication channels and will be able to spread the message further.


We anticipate that three levels of information will be provided.

• Firstly general awareness in the form of general advice on preparing for bushfire season. This might go in your regular newsletters.


• Secondly, specific alerts will be given as a threat is perceived. These might be a bushfire prediction, flood warning in a specific area and may suggest early evacuation or other action. The organisations would probably pass this information on by email distribution lists.


• Thirdly, there may be information conveyed during an emergency giving information as to where horses can be taken safely and cared for. This information would assist members who might phone the organisation seeking guidance.
  
  

Emergency information provided to horse owners: Individual horse owners that are registered with the HECD would receive the same type of information, except that it can be targeted and made more specific to a district or locality. The urgent information would be sent by SMS making it more useful and available in a dire emergency situation.

Information provided to Emergency authorities: The HECD will not give out personal details of individual horse owners to Councils or any commercial bodies. The HECD will assist emergency authorities in two ways.

• Firstly by detailing how many horses are in a particular area and where they are located. This is to assist emergency planning such as fire or flood evacuations or vaccination in the event of a disease outbreak. Using new technology it is possible to digitally map the locations of horses using street addresses. (Property Event Management System or PEMS).



• Secondly by passing on messages to horse people in emergencies and being able to document how many people have been contacted.
  
  

Action requested of horse organisations

• Registration of each organisation and all branches on the database.


• Information on the scheme in newsletters.


• Encouragement for individual members to join.

http://www.horsecouncil.org.au/content.asp?z=12&c=124&p=326