UF VETS conducts disaster response training through wet labs and mock exercises for DVM students at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine as well as state-wide exercises with SART partners.
Students, staff, faculty, and volunteers with the UF VETS team must complete basic courses in the Incident Command System (ICS) to participate in disaster response exercises and deployments. The following trainings are required:
- IS-100.C Introduction to the Incident Command System
- IS-200.C Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
- IS-700.B An Introduction to the National Incident Management System
Additionally, the following trainings are recommended:
- IS-10.a Animals in Disasters: Awareness and Preparedness
- IS-11.a Animals in Disasters: Community Planning
- IS-111.A Livestock in Disasters
- IS-5a An Introduction to Hazardous Materials
We recommend uploading your certificates to SERT TRAC for ease of reference. You can also find live, local emergency response trainings through the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
VME6820: Introduction to Veterinary Disaster Response is available as part of the Shelter Medicine Distance Education program for graduate students. The UF VETS Medical Director, Dr. Lawrence Garcia, serves as lead instructor. This course is available during summer terms for 1 hour of credit.
