Zoo Ready 2015

This exercise focused on the impact and preparedness for natural disasters, specifically, a tornado. Maps and storm trajectories for individual players were created, and the exercise was delivered in Modules via the on-line Food SHIELD platform.

The following exercise objectives were considered during scenario development:

Demonstrate the facility’s ability to prepare for natural hazards
Demonstrate the communication system within their facility
Demonstrate the facility’s ability to communicate with first responders
Demonstrate the facility’s ability to work with the Incident Command System
Demonstrate the ability for facility personnel to work with Emergency Operation Plans for their facility.
Demonstrate the facility’s ability to deal with long-term consequences after a disaster.

Five modules were developed, and questions were asked of the players that focused on visitor and staff safety. The exercise specifically avoided asking about escaped or wounded animals. The focus was on life, health and human safety, the primary objective for ALL incident management.

Zoo Ready was a collaborative program created to engage the zoological community to increase preparedness for all hazards. Objectives of the program were to promote communication across all stakeholder groups prior to a disease or other emergency incident that may impact a zoological facility, and provide training and exercises for the zoological community.

Click here to read more about the history of Zoo Ready

Exercises

Zoo Ready 2015