One more email I wanted to share with you regarding the NAHERC (who will be represented at the AVMA conference this Fall). This is a government based volunteer organization, that we as vet students can join, to be on call for any natural disasters or disease outbreaks. The tours can last from 21-30 days and you are fully compensated during this time. I pasted some information from their website (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ep/naherc/) below and please check out the post comments for the copy of the email sent to me.
What is the National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps (NAHERC)?
When an animal health emergency occurs, an immediate response is necessary to protect both animals and people. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will look to many sources to obtain the veterinary personnel needed to help meet the critical staffing needs of such an emergency.
In 2001, APHIS established the NAHERC to respond to exotic disease outbreaks and other disasters which effect livestock, poultry, companion animals, and wildlife. More volunteers are urgently needed to assure a decisive response to any potential animal health crises.
NAHERC staff duties during an outbreak or emergency may include:
- Companion animal care
- Boarding, sheltering and evacuation
- Conducting surveillance
- Examining herds or flocks for signs of disease
- Collecting specimens
- Vaccinating animals
- Conducting post-mortem examinations
- Euthanizing animals
- Supervising the disposal of animal carcasses
- Collecting epidemiological information
- Inspecting livestock markets, trucks and vehicles
- exotic, avian, research animal & zoo care and duties
Who May Join NAHERC?
- Veterinarians with a valid United States veterinary diploma from an accredited program.
- Animal Health Technicians (AHTs) and Veterinary Technicians with a diploma and/or equivalent experience. (this includes vet students)
- College students are eligible under the Student Educational Employment Program if they are:
- A student enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student in a four or five year university program.
- At least the minimum age required by federal, state, or local laws and standards governing the employment of minors.
Get Information about the Application Process
How to apply:
1 comment:
USDA NAHERC will be at the upcoming AVMA Conference
POSITIONS OPEN FOR VETERINARIANS AND ANIMAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE NATIONS LARGEST ANIMAL HEALTH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE ORGANIZATION
NAHERC IS THE FIRST NATIONWIDE PATERNERSHIP EMBRACING COMMUNITIES WITH WORLD-CLASS VETERINARY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN THE WAKE OF A DISASTER OR EMERGING DISEASE OUTBREAK
The USDA NAHERC program is a national animal reserve emergency corp. that is comprised of Veterinary Medical Officers (VMO), Animal Health Technicians and Veterinary Medical Students (AHT) assimilated into an elite cadre within Emergency Management response community.
The National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps (NAHERC) started in 2001 protects public health by providing a ready reserve of private and State veterinarians and veterinarian technicians to combat threats to U.S. livestock and poultry in the event of a large outbreak of an exotic or foreign animal disease. NAHERC staff can be activated and supplement existing USDA-APHIS employees for periods of 3 weeks for domestic deployments or 30 days for international deployments. These positions are paid upon activation of the NAHERC.
However, during a disaster, the size and scope of an incident can easily overwhelm conventional local animal health resources and could be devastating to the Cattle, Beef and Dairy industries. The NAHERC is an Emergency Response organization designed to provide large scale federal assistance during an animal event. Previously NAHERC was activated and responded to the 2001 UK FMD outbreak, the 2003 Newcastle outbreak in California and the 2002 LPAI in Virginia. When an animal health emergency occurs, having staff ready to provide an immediate response is necessary to protect both animals and human's in support of the National Response Plan and Essential Support Function #11.
“I did two rotations with the exotic Newcastle disease (END) task force in California. Working with the Emergency Response Corps gave me a chance to be part of a team doing something different from everyday practice. I headed a euthanasia team. Despite the members’ very different backgrounds, we worked well together, and our team was requested for many of the difficult situations. It gave me a chance to use my people skills as well as my veterinary skills. When I was in veterinary school, the faculty talked about the Newcastle disease outbreak of ’71, so for me, serving in California on the END task force was a chance to be part of history, and at the same time to contribute to eradicating the disease.”
Jane Ridky, D.V.M.
Oakland, ME
“I spent 4 weeks in the U.K. during the height of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak working with the USDA and U.K. Ministry of Agriculture. It was an excellent opportunity to observe firsthand the wide-ranging impact that FMD had on so many sectors of the British economy. Stockyards and packing plants were closed; sheep shearers, inseminators, and livestock haulers were unemployed; and large-animal veterinary practices ground to a halt, not to mention the effects on tourism. The more U.S. veterinarians are exposed to real-life situations, the more prepared we will be. This is especially true for vets seeing large numbers of livestock in their daily practices. As the chairman of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Foreign Animal Disease Committee, I believe that continuing education, especially in the form of firsthand knowledge, is extremely important. The Emergency Response Corps enhances our ability to protect the livestock industries that U.S. agriculture relies on and ensures the quality of U.S. agricultural products integral to the export market.”
Harry Snelson, D.V.M.
Manager, Swine Tech Services
Schering–Plough Animal Health
Dr. Carla Taylor–Huston identifies farm locations of infected premises and buffer zones in the Divisional Office of the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department during the FMD outbreak in the United Kingdom in 2001.
“I was finishing my doctoral dissertation at the time of the FMD outbreak in the U.K., so the timing was right for me. I spent 3 weeks in Scotland, where I was warmly received. People really welcomed the help. I especially liked the cultural experience of living and working in another part of the world. It was educational to work with animal health professionals battling disease in an outbreak situation. This was a very worthwhile experience.”
Carla Taylor–Huston, D.V.M.
Assistant Professor
Department of Pathobiology and
Population Medicine
Mississippi State University
“We spent a month in the U.K. during the FMD outbreak, and it truly opened our eyes to the global threat of disease and the enormous number of problems that a foreign animal disease would pose if it happened in our country. Our experience was very positive—from our housing, to the people we helped, to those we worked with. We’re semiretired in private practice, working mostly with small animals, so this was a unique experience, and we would highly recommend working with the APHIS program to others.”
Wayne Dollarhide, D.V.M.
Nancy Dollarhide, D.V.M.
Grants Pass, OR
NAHERC staff duties during an outbreak or emergency event may include:
- Companion animal care
- Boarding, sheltering and evacuation
- Conducting surveillance
- Examining herds or flocks for signs of disease
- Collecting specimens
- Vaccinating animals
- Conducting post-mortem examinations
- Euthanizing animals
- Supervising the disposal of animal carcasses
- Collecting epidemiological information
- Inspecting livestock markets, trucks and vehicles
- exotic, avian, research animal & zoo care and duties
- Other duties as assigned
To qualify, NAHERC members must meet all qualification requirements at the time of application.
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
Veterinary Medical Officer - Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree, i.e., Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA). The AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org has a listing of all AVMA-accredited veterinary medical schools.
Animal Health Technician – Life experience and/or educational experience in the animal health field. Current veterinary students apply under AHT.
Sign-up and become part of a service program that few other jobs can match. Please click on this LINK and follow the link below become part of the USDA NAHERC program today.
NAHERC WEBSITE: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ep/naherc/
FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT NAHERC:
• Call the NAHERC Coordinator at 301.734.4933.
• E-mail inquiries to: thomas.m.cunningham@aphis.usda.gov
V/R
Mr. Thomas M. Cunningham SEM, CHS, FO-IV.
Nat'l Animal Health Emergency Response Coordinator
USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services
Emergency Management & Diagnostics
Preparedness and Incident Coordination Division
Nat'l Center for Animal Health Emergency Management
4700 River Road, Unit 41 Rm 5B-02.9
Riverdale, MD 20737-1228
Office - 301.734.4933
Fax - 301.734.7817
(W) Cell - 240.252.8088
(P) Cell - 443.253.0141
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