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Disaster
Preparedness
13 Agencies Join Forces in
Operation Lilypad Search & Rescue Operation
NEW ORLEANS (9/19/06) - For the first
time in history, companion animals will be included in a
search and rescue (SAR) training initiative, Operation
Lilypad Search and Rescue, in which 13 cooperating federal,
state and local agencies will safely exercise human and
animal rescue procedures in a simulated New Orleans-centric
flooding event.
 The training will take place tomorrow, Sept 20, and begins
promptly at 9 a.m. Staging will take place at 8 a.m. outside
the former Walgreens in the now closed Robert E. Lee
Shopping Center.
"We are excited that the State of Louisiana is developing a
cohesive search and rescue plan that includes both humans
and animals," said Laura Maloney, Executive Director of the
Louisiana SPCA. "To have companion animals become a formal
part of the state's SAR plan shows that Louisiana
understands the importance of saving pets along with saving
people," said Laura Maloney, Executive Director of the
Louisiana SPCA.
Many New Orleanians refused to evacuate
without
their pets during Hurricane Katrina.
Other objectives of Operation Lilypad include testing
coordination between agencies, identifying potential gaps in
service delivery and gathering input from participations
that could be integrated into the overall plan.
The initiative will include land and water rescue of 100
human "victims" and 15 animals from the SPCA. Working with
the LA/SPCA on water rescue will be Code 3 Associates, a
nationally recognized technical animal rescue team. Code 3
Associates will focus on swift water rescue with their two
boats.
All human victims will be U.S. Marines or members of the New
Orleans Police Dept. or the New Orleans Fire Dept. Because
there is no flooding, Lake Pontchartrain will simulate
several flooded neighborhoods. As in a real flood, victims
will be transported to the Morial Convention Center for
processing after they are rescued.
The media is invited to observe the exercise from land, from
a Coast Guard helicopter or from a boat. The lead PIO, Bo
Boehringer from La. Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries, would
prefer that all media arrive before the 8 a.m. safety
briefly and be transported to SAR locations with the teams.
Media that would prefer to cover the event later in the
morning should arrive at the former Yeagers Restaurant
parking lot in West End.
The participating agencies are using Katrina lessons to
build an operating model that will function more effectively
for everyone and save more lives. Please join us to witness
this effort firsthand.
The Louisiana SPCA worked in cooperation with other
agencies to rescue more than 8,500 animals after Hurricane
Katrina hit New Orleans on August 29th. The Louisiana
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (LA/SPCA)
is a private non-profit organization dedicated to the
elimination of animal suffering. Chartered in 1888, it is
the oldest and most comprehensive animal welfare
organization in the state of Louisiana providing care and
basic medical services for approximately 11,000 homeless and
unwanted animals each year. The LA/SPCA is a membership
organization that depends upon the support of the public.
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