Emergency Response Team

WHO WE ARE

San Diego Humane Society’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) is composed of specially trained volunteers and staff committed to rescuing animals during disasters. Our mission is twofold: to serve our community and their animals in times of crisis, bringing hope and help when it’s needed most, and to provide community outreach and emergency preparedness education to animal owners before disaster strikes. With compassion, courage and integrity, we work to ensure the safety and well-being of every animal, supporting the people who care about them.

Our team responds to a broad range of animal emergencies including:

• Fires
• Floods
• Hurricanes
• Hoarding situations
• Cases where animals are injured, trapped or stranded

Members are specially trained to provide the following services:

• Fire Rescue
• Scouts
• Animal Transport
• Large Animal Sheltering
• Companion Animal Sheltering
• Incident Management
• Technical Rescue

WHAT WE DO

Scouts
The Scout Unit is a highly trained team that has eyes and ears on the ground during deployments. They play a vital role in assessing fire conditions and keeping the team safe. Operating in high-risk zones, often behind fire lines, members work closely with the Transport teams to gather critical intel that supports safe and effective animal search and rescue operations. Made up of highly-trained members — many with firefighting or public safety backgrounds — this unit requires more training than many of the other units, including physical fitness tests for wildland fire conditions.

Great for: current or former firefighters or emergency responders, physically active team players, individuals able to work in (and remain calm under) emotionally charged environments.

Transport
The Transport Unit is responsible for ensuring the safe and timely handling and transport of personnel, animals, equipment and supplies during response operations. The Transport team consists of two teams: Mobile Drivers and Handlers who work together to provide timely, safe rescue in any disaster event.

Mobile drivers transport rescued animals, staff and supplies between field sites, shelters and staging areas while handlers play a hands-on role in rescuing and managing large animals — such as horses, cattle and other farm animals — from properties within or adjacent to active or recently burned fire zones.

Great for: people with significant equine handling, first aid or emergency response experience, expert trailer-driving skills and experience transporting farm animals, members who can use their own trucks and trailers during fire responses, and people who remain calm, patient and adaptable in dynamic situations.

Large Animal Sheltering
The Large Animal Sheltering Unit (LASU) is responsible for providing emergency sheltering to large animals (such as horses, cattle and other farm animals) displaced during disasters. This team ensures that animals are safely housed, cared for and reunited with their owners. LASU volunteers help respond to predetermined shelter locations or assist in setting up temporary shelters, managing intake processes, providing care and tracking animal reunifications

Great for: people with large animal handling experience, strong organizational or administrative skills that can keep track of the coming and going of the animals, and those who prefer to stay outside active fire zones but put their handling skills to use.

Companion Animal Sheltering (CASU)
The Companion Animal Sheltering Unit (CASU) provides hands-on care and support for pets displaced by emergencies or disasters. Working in temporary shelters and evacuation centers in conjunction with local emergency response organizations, this team helps create a safe, calm environment for animals and their families during difficult times. Tasks include checking in people with their pets, getting the animals settled, providing information and support to the owners and general administrative tasks to keep it all organized.

Great for: people who want to be involved but are looking for opportunities a little further from the fire line, are great working with animals as well as their humans, and are looking to flex their administrative and organizational skills.

Incident Command
The Incident Command Unit (ICU) is the organizational hub of the team’s emergency response on larger-scale deployments. Volunteers in this unit help check-in and coordinate field teams, track resources, dispatch teams, manage communication, and ensure smooth operations during active deployments. This unit will generally operate from the ERT Command Vehicle and other support services for field responders.

Great for: people with dispatch or ham radio experience, responders familiar with the Incident Command System, individuals who want to be close to the action but prefer an operations or logistics support role, and organized, multi-tasking communicators.

Animal Technical Rescue Unit
The Animal Technical Rescue Unit specializes in safely rescuing animals from dangerous or complex situations that go beyond the capabilities of typical animal control services. These highly trained teams respond to emergencies such as animals trapped in confined spaces, stranded in swift water, stuck in mud or fallen into ravines, swimming pools or wells. Using specialized equipment and techniques adapted from human technical rescue operations, they work to ensure the safety of both the animals and the responders. San Diego Humane Society currently has the only dedicated animal technical rescue team in San Diego County.

Great for: people who are already part of (and have had an experience in) other units, those who want to take on additional above-and-beyond training, people handy at tying knots.

Volunteer Recruitment: Currently on hold.