U.S.Department of Homeland Security Recognizes Agriculture, Animal Response Needs
 
LANSING - If there were an agriculture-related emergency, the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) stands at the ready to mobilize and respond with the most cutting edge training available. Two staffers from MDA's Animal Industry Division - Dr. Susan R. Rook, DVM, and Ryan Starkweather - recently completed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Agriculture Emergency Response Training (AgERT) course at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) located in Anniston, Alabama.  The federally funded AgERT course provides interdisciplinary training for emergency responders from across the United States and U.S. territories.

"This type of advanced hands-on training is vital to ensure responders can effectively prevent, respond to, and recover from real-world incidents involving acts of terrorism and other hazardous materials," said Brad Deacon, MDA Emergency Management Coordinator.  "MDA staff were chosen out of 11 million emergency responders from across the U.S. This selection underscores the top-notch emergency response Michiganians will receive in the event of a disaster."
 
The following MDA staff, along with Deacon of Lansing, Starkweather of Olivet, and Rook of Holt, also received training at the CDP:  Nancy Barr, DVM, of  Davidson; Vicki Chickering, DVM, of Midland; Bridget Patrick of Mason; Mark Remick, DVM, of Battle Creek; Daniel Robb, DVM, of Gladwin; Jeff Schaner of Hart; and John Tilden, DVM, of Mason.
 
All 11 received first hand experience responding to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive weapons (CBRNE), as well as agricultural terrorism and emergency response training to animal and plant diseases.  Participants conduct the exercises in protective gear including respirators, vapor protective suits, chemical resistant gloves, boots, and safety glasses.
 
The continuous training is a unique aspect of each CDP course, and the AgERT course provides the agricultural and traditional emergency responder with an overview of agro-terrorism and CBRNE hazards in the agricultural sector. 
 
While in full protective gear, responders enter a simulated farm, restrain and collect samples from farm animals, prepare and identify the samples for submission to a laboratory, and exit the premises without setting off any of the potentially explosive devices left to injure responders.  Additionally, the participants must withstand the decontamination process to limit the chance of cross contamination or exposure to a potential disease agent or chemical hazard.
 
The CDP is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency and is the only federally-chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) training facility in the nation.
 
For additional information about CDP training programs go to: http://cdp.dhs.gov.

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