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Event preps for emergencies People learn how to protect their families, horses By Rick Gustafson
Special to Colorado Community Media Residents and emergency preparedness experts filled the Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa on April 11 for an Emergency Preparedness Clinic hosted by the Elbert County Office of Emergency Management. Experts offered residents free advice on how to prepare for and deal with emergencies, like wildfires, that might force an evacuation. “It’s about preparedness,” said Brandon Lenderink, Elbert County’s Emergency Management director. “What this involves is not only preparedness for individuals — building 72-hour kits for your homes — it involves preparations for animals and animal evacuations.” A three-hour morning session featured experts from the Douglas County Animal Response Team and the Douglas-Elbert County Horse Council covering topics ranging from preparing and maintaining an animal go-bag prior to an emergency to
clinics on horses identification, facility preparation and creating personal disaster kits. At the end of his fire-mitigation class, Larkspur firefighter Randy Johnson showed a slide depicting a yard sign that said “Thank you firefighters.” “Signs like that make us feel all warm and fuzzy,” Johnson said. “But if you really want to thank us, take care of your fire mitigation.” A raffle followed the morning session, sending four winners to lunch with emergency items such as a wool blanket, a first-aid kit and the grand prize, a 72-hour food kit. Following lunch, the group moved into one of the fairground’s arenas for horse trainer Kia Jones’ class that familiarized owners with techniques for working with their horses in unfamiliar situations and helping them understand how the animals respond to perceived threats. “Horses don’t worry about getting hurt like you and I do. Their level of fear is about dying,” Jones said. “They are prey animals and they don’t think like us.” Jones demonstrated how to recognize a horse’s body language and when to move animals away from unfamiliar objects before they reach the threshold of fear where they might jump or bolt. Jones explained that the technique helps the animal gain trust in its handler and itself, which Prep continues on Page 7
Horse trainer Tia Jones helps quarter horse Dwight adjust to an unusual situation during an exercise involving balloons April 11 at the Elbert County Fairgrounds. The exercise was part of the Emergency Preparedness Clinic hosted by the Elbert County Office of Emergency Management. Photos by Rick Gustafson
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Tina Mavor, of the Douglas-Elbert County Horse Council, explains her horse disaster kit, or go-bag.
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Randy Johnson of the Larkspur Fire Department explains how clear zones can protect houses during a wild fire.
Music Therapist Amy Wilson leads her class in a scarf waving exercise April 6 at the Country Home, 1425 Debbie Circle in Parker. Photo by Mike DiFerdinando
Amy Wilson strums along on her guitar as she sings “When it’s Springtime in the Rockies.” “Especially with my clients who are elderly, a lot of the songs are based around the seasons. I always state the date at the beginning of the session,” said Wilson, a certified music therapist. “It helps with reality orientation.” It’s 10 a.m. April 6 and Wilson is at the Country Home, 1425 Debbie Circle, in western Elbert County, near Parker. She spends
the morning in a group music therapy session with eight women at the assisted-living facility. The residents in the tightknight, community-style living facility have a wide range of needs — some are dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia. “Specifically with elderly folks, using music to help them express themselves, increase their communication skills and to empower them so they are making choices,” Wilson said. “Even with some who aren’t able to speak, offering them two choices — bells or shakers — and even if she can’t tell me, she can look, she can think, she can point. It’s empowering.” Music continues on Page 7