How to Plan for Animal Shelter Emergencies

Emergency Preparedness in Animal Shelters

Emergency preparedness is of paramount importance for animal shelters. Preparation begins long before an emergency actually presents itself. The foundation of this preparedness is the animal facility's infrastructure. All emergencies rely on that infrastructure to see the animal shelter through the emergency. 

Animals are very difficult to evacuate. Because of this, our team of engineers at Design Learned often likens the evacuation plan to that of a hospital - where people are more likely to shelter in place than to leave the facility. Sheltering-in-place often means our animal facilities need to withstand a wide range of emergencies, whether a fire or a blizzard, to keep the animals safe.

Material Selection Matters 

Apart from the daily wear and tear an animal shelter faces, the building's construction can determine whether animals can stay or need to evacuate during an emergency. With that in mind, durable construction is a key aspect of emergency preparedness. 

You may be asking, 'What are durable construction materials?' Noncombustible materials, such as CMU or concrete block, are examples. These materials also include finishes that can withstand water exposure, high winds, high impact, and heavy use. Other examples of durable materials include cement board for walls, epoxy flooring, and corrosion-resistant fixtures.

Fire Protection Systems

Fire protection systems are another consideration. At Design Learned, we often see animal shelter decision-makers ready to install sprinkler systems in their buildings. Sprinkler systems are an acceptable approach and sometimes required by Code. Sprinkler systems are not the only option or the most robust option for fire safety. Unfortunately, a building constructed with combustible materials that has sprinklers doesn't help the animals as much as you may think. For instance, by the time they can be rescued, the smoke inhalation can be extreme. 

The animal care experts at Design Learned often recommend using noncombustible building materials and providing extensive fire alarm coverage for early detection. We install smoke detectors in every room, including closets, for early detection, and use noncombustible materials to help reduce the spread of a fire in a building.

Power Considerations 

Another thing to consider is power. How do you plan to maintain power when there are power outages? Power is essential for maintaining shelter operations, temperature control, lighting, security, and medical equipment. 

There are two ways you can go with power. 

• The first is to include a permanent generator in the building's design, which offers the most seamless approach but comes at a cost. 

  
  

• The second option is to install the infrastructure needed to connect to a temporary generator, which generally costs less but may be difficult to maintain if everyone in the area is trying to rent a generator.

  
  

One thing to note about emergency generators is that shelters often try to select specific equipment to add to the generator, such as lighting and HVAC, for a particular area. 

Generators can work in some cases, but they require extensive coordination with the electrical panel. The HVAC system consumes the majority of the building's power, so we have found it more cost-effective and useful to use a full-building generator.

Shelter-In-Place Strategy

Because shelters often use a "shelter in place" strategy, they must be designed to withstand risks in the area. Do you need to design for hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, or fires? There are different strategies employed to address each in building design and engineering. Emergency preparedness doesn't just happen a week before an expected storm; it begins during the building's design.

Ready to Prepare Your Animal Care Facility for an Emergency?

Thinking outside the box is part of the Design Learned advantage. By designing with emergency preparedness in mind, shelters can face emergencies with confidence and worry about one less thing. Ready to discuss your building? Call the Design Learned team at 860-889-7078 or schedule a consultation online.