SAFE LIVING IN SONOMA
Kenwood Press Preparedness ArticlesVisit Home & Ranch Readiness Summit
One of the many organizations collaborating to assess and fill needs of the whole community.
This was such fun -- and music to our ears! Love engaging kids with preparedness!
The Sonoma County Library-Listos “Ready!” Workshops are a super way to connect with people throughout Sonoma County.
HALTERProject participates in several Community Outreach events every month.
Returned for our 3rd year, this time, sponsored “All HazardsDisaster Safety” class plus an intro to the Loops Rescue System”.
Pt. Reyes National Seashore Historic Barn Education Center - A fabulous location for great training with wonderful people.
Fun to greet our friends, families, and First Responders at this annual event.
HALTER Project “Base Camp” at SAREX 2019, hosted by Marin County SAR.
The student mix at our SAREX “Mounted Track” trainings was impressive.
Honored to have an “anchor” corner at Sonoma Ready Day. 5,000 attendees!
BODEGA BAY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT “Big Event Parade”. Sonoma Smarty is always ready to help out our fire departments!
Rollout of our Neighborhood Safety Shed Project at Kenwood’s annual July 4th Community Festival.
HALTER Project Home & Ranch Readiness Pavilion had a prime spot in the Jr. Livestock area.
HALTER Project participated in this fun and informative workshop with Chris Godley, SoCo Emergency Manager; Capt. Joe Morrison, SVFRA; Supervisor Susan Gorin, and several hundred of our getting prepared neighbors.
Involving nearly 2 dozen horse and property owners, we toured every “horse home” (plus other critters living with them) to evaluate defensibility and safety, Evac routes, rig access, etc. Every neighborhood and equine community org should do this!
Habla Espanol ? HALTER Project, Si!
We connected with more than 300 Sonoma Valley residents at Altamira Middle School. Our Preparedness handouts were ALL gone in 2 hours!
This was the 13th ATR-T training sponsored by HALTER Project in the North Bay since 2014. A full class of 21 committed firefighters, Marin SAR ACOs, and horse owners gave up a gorgeous spring weekend and worked hard to becomeCertified Animal Rescue Technicians. Instructors: Gary Johnson & Rodd Kneeland, ResQFast, and, leaders of our Sonoma Valley Animal Emergency ResponseTeam, and local firefighters!
Celebrating its 3rd year, we love being part of this super neighborhood safety fair
Back by popular demand, a capacity crowd of nearly 40 local residents packed the Petaluma Riding & Driving Clubhouse for this terrific training.
Another fun & fascinating crowd in a cool venue: a Community Farm in San Jose. One of the most rewarding outreach events ever!
Sponsored by HALTER Project, Sonoma Valley Fire Rescue hosted this large class at its Glen Ellen Station. Students from many jurisdictions!
Super crowd gathered in a cozy yurt to learn from UCCE staff. We all trekked out for blustery afternoon tour of urban farms. Goats? In Berkeley???
A multi-tasking day: While we attended the Napa CART CERT Update Training, our
'Preparedness for Small Farms' presentation hit the road “virtually” -- students at this workshop viewed our course in a special video and slide program prepared especially for UCCE.
A great collaboration with Sonoma County Farm Bureau!
72 committed North Bay residents attended pilot course - the first of its kind in Sonoma County. Sponsored by HALTER Project. Instructor, Captain Gary Johnson, ResQFast.
So proud to be invited to participate in this terrific project: Bolinas horse (& livestock) owners, in collaboration with Bolinas Volunteer Fire Department and local CERTs, ALL working together to develop personal and ranch preparedness plans, evac routes, and evac and shelter-in-place measures for all types of disasters.
Great tabletop exercises and opportunity to connect with fellow volunteers.
Great info & experience sharing with agencies and CARTs from multiple counties.
A heavy winter rainstorm made the perfect backdrop for a cozy night of relaxed preparedness planning - right before everyone had to leave quickly before the roads flooded..
Volunteers, first responders and vets came together to practice basic drags, assists, rolls, lifts, and extrications.
Assisted with relief fund coordination and coordinating support to UCD VERT. Helped establish Pet Rescue & Reunification, (PRR), Field Rescue - Feeding Stations - Reunification Program in Paradise & Magalia. This effort continues into its 7th month. Thanks to very dedicated volunteers, cats are being rescued and reunited every week with joyful owners.
We shared preparedness tips and information with more than 1,000 North Bay women as a participant in the fabulous “Woman in Conversation Experience” at the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University.
HALTER Project is excited to collaborate with UCCE staff and their advisors in several counties to present emergency and disaster planning to commercial and backyard livestock owners and producers.
Honored to participate in a lively and moving discussion with several local farmers and Santa Rosa Fire Chief, Tony Gossner, moderated by KSRO Radio host, Clark Wolf.
Fire season started early in California, followed by an unprecedented series of major storms in other parts of the county. HALTER Project is proud to be a point of contact and assistance liaison to many organizations and agencies around the state and the country,
HALTER Project helped roll out major messaging programs to promote safety on the trail, in the barn, on the road, and at home for equestrians. Partnering with the Marin Horse Council, Marin SAR, and Marin Humane, we spent five great days helping people learn how to create ready kits, improve barn safety, and how to become a volunteer to help animals in emergencies and disasters.
The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine presented the 2018 El Blanco Award to Tom and Julie Atwood, and the DMARLOU Foundation in memory of Dorothy & Martell Kaliski. This award recognizes significant contributions that animal owners and other benefactors have made to clinical veterinary medicine.
32 students attended the first-ever class in Sonoma County specifically for Volunteers interested in learning what it takes to become an Animal Disaster Service Worker.
The 2-day course was taught by John Maretti, from the Animal Rescue Training Company, and Ryan Soulsby, Director of Operations for Butte County Animal Services. Firefighters from Sonoma Valley Fire Rescue Authority, (SVFRA), taught the Fireline Safety module. An “update” presentation was made by Brian Whipple of Sonoma County Animal Services. Julie Atwood, of The HALTER Project, taught training modules on media communication, and an overview of volunteer animal disaster response roles & responsibilities and training options in Northern California and answered questions during a lunchtime ADSW “Q&A” session.
Awarded to individuals in recognition of their volunteerism and commitment to community, and, participation as a member of the dedicated EMS providers and professionals who worked well together during, and after, the Northern California Wildfires in October 2017.
22 Sonoma Valley & Graton firefighters, 3 Marin SAR members, officers from Marin Humane & Yolo County Animal Services, 8 certified volunteers, Volunteers, 5 Vets, and 3 UCD Students from the Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT) plus 4 Instructors from the Large Animal Rescue Company, came together to practice Technical Rescue skills amidst the charred forest left by the Nuns Fire. The group was divided into 3 teams, each responding to 6 scenarios ranging from a cast horse to a trailer accident and an “over the edge” Rescue. Great teamwork, and team-building.
Over the past several years, members of Sonoma Valley Fire, Kenwood Fire, Graton Fire and Sebastopol Fire Departments have been getting certified in large animal technical rescue. Along with these certified courses, the fire agencies have been attending workshops, seminars, conferences and additional trainings to further their knowledge in this service area. The Sonoma Valley Animal Emergency Response Teams' new HALTER-sponsored trailer arrived in January, and they are now available 24/7 to assist agencies throughout the County of Sonoma under existing mutual aid agreements.
SVFRA is sending every firefighter and medic in the agency- including Volunteers- through this course. Quite a few are already certified Animal Rescue Technicians. It’s immensely rewarding to see the interest, dedication and courage of our first responders! Most are more comfortable entering a burning building than approaching a horse. But now, ALL will be safer in every incident involving animals of all species!
** Note: this class supports the CaSFMT “Animal Awareness” Training, is free, and is available to any local or regional agency. Contact us to get connected with qualified training resources in your area.
HALTER was a presenter at this prestigious semi-annual international conference hosted by UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in partnership with the British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association (BARTA).
ATR-Awareness: 34 students certified. ATR-Technician: 28 students certified, including: firefighters, veterinarians, livestock managers, Search & Rescue members, NVDAG members, community volunteers.
Joining the North Valley Animal Disaster Group's Animal Evacuation and Shelter Teams.
Joining in the fun.
Napa County Animal Services promotes microchipping for your horses in addition to any tags or visuals for added security.
With the Daredevil Darlings Trick Riders, at the Russian River Rodeo. We love RRR for it's hometown pride and commitment to care for animals.
Smarty never misses the Glen Ellen Fire Department Mother's Day Pancake Breakfast!
The third HALTER Ranch Readiness Day was held April 30th at Saralee and Richard’s Barn, Sonoma County Fairgrounds & Event Center. World-class speakers, exciting demonstrations, heartwarming & inspiring stories. RIDE TV was there, filming a 60-minute episode for Ride on the Road.
Supporting Windsor Fire Department's annual Chili Cookoff with Rocket's Chili (named after our local Windsor Search Dog Superhero!
On April 1, Smarty and Sparky teamed up at Graton Volunteer Fire Department's “No Fooling – Get Prepared” Disaster Fair.
HALTER works to reach the whole community by supporting youth agriculture education.
A fantastic 2-day BULL (Bull: Best Useful Livestock Lessons) training with terrific group of Washoe County Animal Control Officers, taught by Code 3 Associates of Longmont, CO, assisted by Tayla (seated).
Getting comfy in Nomex
The HALTER Project is a proud sponsor of MARIN HUMANE. Making Lives Happy: a cuddly kitten & puppy photo op with Captain Cindy Machado at the Gala.
We were invited to join Drs. John Madigan & Eric Green (DVMs), and Jim Green of BARTA, for 4 days of networking and sharing experiences to enhance the growing program of integrated animal emergency response in Colorado.
The first 3 of 5 RESQUIP Equine Training Mannequins arrived and deploys to Marin Search & Rescue/Marin Humane, Sonoma Valley-Glen Ellen ATR Group, and Graton Volunteer Fire/SCAS. Assembly crew included: Julie Atwood; Atwood Ranch Horse Manager, Jim Spencer; CAL FIRE & Glen Ellen Animal Rescue Technician, Everett Kemp; Graton Fire Fighter, Lee Walker Jr.; Marin County SAR, Robert Eichstaedt.
Wonderful and diverse group of riders graciously hosted by Belos Cavalos in Kenwood CA. Instructor, Trish Andrade, DVM, UCD-IAWTI, demonstrates a basic skill for sliding or rolling a cast horse.
Photo shoot with equine photography superstar Tara Arrowood
result in establishment of Emergency Shelter for Large Animals during floods. Thank you, Fairgrounds administration and staff!
