Must-have disaster preparedness tips for your patients and practice

This kit has some good basics but misses the One Health mark. Create a custom disaster preparedness kit that also includes your patients and your practice. Photo: Bigstock/elenabsi What better way to discuss One Health Day than to examine the safety and well-being of pets and pet-parents alike? November 3, 2025, was Global One Health Day, but there are year-round applications.. This represents a coordinated worldwide campaign by the One Health Initiative, One Health Commission, and the One Health Platform Foundation. One Health Day aims to draw global attention to One Health (OH) initiatives and educate others on the importance of integrating animals, people, and the environment in collaborative efforts to achieve a healthy world. One facet of OH and a place where one can make a difference in a vet practice, local community, state, nation, or, more far-reaching, is when we consider disaster preparedness. Let’s take a look at preparing for the worst through a One Health lens!1 One Health Day: November 3, 2025 As October, National Fire Prevention Month, closes, and November is upon us, my thoughts immediately go toward One Health Day. From a specific type of disaster preparedness and awareness, to a more global and far-reaching day. The One Health Commission states the aim of One Health Day is: “To build the cultural will necessary for a sea change in how planetary health challenges are assessed and addressed and how professionals exchange information across disciplines. One Health Day brings global attention to the need for One Health collaborations and allows the world to ‘see them in action.’ The One Health Day campaign is designed to engage as many individuals as possible from as many arenas as possible in One Health education and awareness events and to generate an inspiring array of projects worldwide.”2 One Health Day dates back nine years, to November 3, 2016. The event’s debut aimed to announce to the world the concept and show that globally, the move and push is to emphasize not just people, not just animals, or not just the environment alone, but recognizes that these entities co-exist and that specialists from all over the world and of all different professions and niches fit into the OH Framework. 3 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recognizes November 3 as a “key pet health and veterinary awareness event,”4 emphasizing the importance of global recognition of numerous OHh concerns, from zoonotic disease awareness, preparedness, response, to non-infectious animal-related situations that negatively impact human, animal, and environmental health. Think natural disasters, including many we’ve seen all too often as of late, from wildfires to weather turmoils (e.g., tornadoes, hurricanes) to earthquakes to house or business fires, to chemical spills, and more. Be prepared! The lyrics to Disney’s song from The Lion King, “Be Prepared” popped into my head while writing this article. While not exactly about disaster preparedness, the statement rings true. Be prepared to handle disasters. Preplanning for a response is much better than reacting without forethought in any emergency. Ensuring we have disaster plans for: Our home, and family, including individual pets, children, and farm animals Our property (home and work) A disaster preparedness plan for typical or realistically plausible situations in your region to encompass your clinic and your home Contingencies in the event you cannot get to your home or clinic, or remain there, stuck in place Controlling or minimizing infection risks, g., floods, we know infectious disease risks increase with runoff, water contamination, and more. Consider what infectious diseases you may need to be on the lookout for in your area and have plans for diagnosis and management outlined well ahead of disaster “Heavy rains, floods, and related conditions (even burst water pipes if not fixed rapidly), or damaged public water lines can lead to an increased risk of infectious diseases associated with waterborne ailments.” Fire prevention and preparedness While numerous disasters could be used to exemplify how OH planning can be implicated, I am going to use the ever-scary fire as our first example. As October turns into November, we leave pumpkins, ghouls, and goblins behind, marking the end of National Fire Prevention Month and the beginning of the Thanksgiving season. Whether it’s cooking huge meals for Thanksgiving and a stove fire, or wildfires threatening your livelihood, fires take no prisoners, and no one is safe. So, let’s use fire as a disaster for which we want to prepare, ensuring we include our hospital, our homes, and our families, including, in large part, animals, both large and small. Ensuring farm animals and household pets are incorporated into our planning is paramount when considering individual and family preparedness. It is estimated at least 40,000 pets alone succumb to fires in the home annually, most commonly due to smoke inhalation and the complications therein.5 However, residential fires aren’t the only concern. Thus, contingencies and planning need to be not just for families but for veterinary practices as well. Feel free to take a look at an August 2025 article, Fire Safety Isn’t Optional in Veterinary Practice for details on prevention and preparedness in your clinic. For your home and any barn or other housing for animals, ensure doors, windows, and other egress or ingress points are labeled; and clearly note the presence of animals. For your clinics, ensure evacuation routes are well-marked and the meeting location is safely away from the building. Additionally, ensure that all steps to take in case of a fire are well-noted and that staff education occurs routinely. Not all fires can be prevented, but being as prepared as possible remains key. Floods, heavy rains, storms–think lots of water Now we’ll look at another example that exemplifies the OH ramifications and tolls that this natural disease, floods, create. Why would floods, e.g., from heavy rain or snow melt or flash floods, be of great concern to veterinarians? Should it be? Veterinarians and the knowledge we possess provide a valuable key OH asset in disaster preparedness and response plans to mitigate numerous animal-related hazards that arise due to flooding. While most everyday rains don’t create disaster around every corner, large storms, heavy and rapid rainfall accumulations, severe weather (e.g., hurricanes), or even heavy snowfalls with rapid melting can lead to flood conditions. While this may or may not immediately impact your home or veterinary practice, we need to be alert for possible concerns, prepare for contingencies, and identify our OH role in recognizing, diagnosing, treating, and ideally, preventing zoonotic diseases of concern. Heavy rains, floods, and related conditions (even burst water pipes if not fixed rapidly), or damaged public water lines can lead to an increased risk of infectious diseases associated with waterborne ailments.6–9 Further, traumatic injuries and mental challenges may arise as a result of increased hazards due to floods, causing debris and blocked pathways; inability to reach loved ones; challenges in finding food/shelter; and leading to a disconnect from friends, family, and what is the norm. Mental health challenges, concerns for loved ones, and unforeseen risks complicate the management and addressing of hazards and problems that arise in water-related disasters.10–12 Common hazards Hazards of concern that may affect a veterinary office near or involved in flooded regions may include:6–9,13–16 Risk of drowning for rescuers, animals washed up in the waters, staff, and more Trauma (debris that goes unseen). Increased presence of rodents and snakes leading to bites or wounds (human/animals) Carbon monoxide poses a threat if generators are damaged and or poorly ventilated, or if other equipment malfunctions. Waterborne diseases increase potentially exponentially as a result of poor drainage, sewer overflow, and subsequent contamination. Runoff from farms can further complicate this concern. Infections from waterborne illnesses may include increased incidences of Giardia, E. coli, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A, and vibriosis (if near coastal waters). Spikes in vector-borne diseases should be anticipated depending on the climate and locations. We all know mosquitoes love non-moving water. Think of how much flooding will create an optimal breeding ground for mosquitoes. This puts animals at higher risk, especially in endemic areas for heartworm, West Nile Virus, and other encephalitis. Soil-based bacteria of concern, for example, our not-so-popular Clostridium tetani spores, which happily reside in the soil, are more likely to become aerosolized or contaminate wounds. Wounds at higher risk for tetani are commonly associated with debris, creating puncture wounds that become contaminated with the spores. Flood conditions increase risks of Leptosporosis, a zoonotic disease that poses a significant health risk to humans and numerous animal species alike. While more prevalent in day-to-day society than once thought, flood conditions exacerbate the risk of exposure. Since it is associated with the urine of wildlife and we have concerns about runoff from farms, increased rodent activity in flood waters, and higher risks of wounds and contamination, lepto poses a significant zoonotic risk and a great OH example of why preparation and recognition of possible threats and complications remain paramount. Ensuring proper protective equipment (PPE) is readily available for all staff, family members, and those involved in rescue, cleanup, and recovery activities remains a high priority. Being alert for clinical signs in patients and testing them appropriately and rapidly helps minimize threats to both humans and animals. After the flood Post-flood concerns, including infectious diseases, traumatic wounds, and cleanup issues, must be addressed ahead of time. When assisting in the cleanup of a flooded area, such as a vet clinic or related workplace environment, or even just one’s home, safe lifting and handling techniques must be employed, not only for animals but also for debris, equipment, and other items. Ensure work protocols require at least two people to work together at all times. The buddy system ensures heavy items are jointly addressed and if someone were to get hurt, someone is available to help or get assistance. Have a plan in place to check your hospital (or home) for flood damage after the waters have receded. This includes air quality testing and concerns, as mold can lead to chronic conditions, exacerbate or trigger asthma (in people and animals), and many other complications. Thus, knowing who to call for air quality testing and any necessary abatement ensures your practice can get back up and running in a timely fashion. Identify the rodents, snakes, and other critters in your area that could pose health threats to your staff, you, the animals in the clinic, and around your home. Prepare means to handle live and deceased animals, as well as treat any complications, including snakebites. This may simply mean having 911 on speed dial, but at least including this in your plans means you are self-aware and already one step ahead, anticipating a potential complication or threat. Consider the ambient temperature. If the flooding event occurs during the summer months, hypothermia isn’t usually a concern, but in the cooler/colder months, animals and people are at risk. If the air conditioning fails and you don’t have a generator, what precautions do you take to minimize heat risks to your staff and patients? Animals are going to overheat sooner, as their natural body temperature, as we all know, is higher than ours. Ensuring monitoring and steps are in place to address heat or cold-related injuries is another step in ensuring that disaster plans account for all possible complications. This applies both during a disaster and during the subsequent clean-up and recovery phases.10 One Health flood management concerns So, if we consider a simple flood, we must account for hazards that could affect both animals and people, creating challenges for our environment. OH concerns in handling and managing flood response and recovery include:10 Electrical hazards Animals/pests, including insects, snakes, and rodents Carbon monoxide exposures Debris, including trees, glass, equipment, and you name it Electrical hazards Chemical concerns (think of all the chemicals in a vet office, then think about vehicles, other businesses around you, one can only fathom what may be in the waters or around you) Fire risks Hot and cold-related injuries Drowning risks Mold (brachycephalics, those with environmental allergies, those with asthma, tracheal collapse, or other related airway diseases may be more susceptible to ill effects from exposure) Last but not least, biological concerns abound, and as veterinarians, who better to recognize the primarily zoonotic escalated risks that arise in a flood. Disaster prep, response, and recovery are a One Health endeavor All this information is great, but how are these concerns, disaster preparedness, and response important within a One Health Framework? It is evident that numerous types of disasters may not only include animals as victims but also lead to animal-related contamination concerns, higher infectious disease risks for animals, and zoonotic concerns for people. As veterinarians, our experience with zoonotic diseases, our ability to anticipate increased risks, our knowledge of mitigation and treatment modalities, and our ability to see a broader, more global picture, all contribute to our value in disaster preparedness and response, where we expect disease increases, trauma, and animal-related issues. Recognizing hazards, understanding mitigation options, and working with various stakeholders—from the Red Cross to Red Rover, state and county animal response teams, human physicians, epidemiologists, and veterinarians alike— are invaluable. Disasters affect all; they don’t discriminate, and cooperative efforts to achieve recovery are paramount and epitomize the need for OH cooperative efforts globally and locally. No matter how prepared we are, disaster will strike. Be prepared. Erica Tramuta-Drobnis, VMD, CPH, is the CEO and Founder of ELTD One Health Consulting, LLC. Dr. Tramuta-Drobnis works as a public health professional, emergency veterinarian, freelance writer, consultant, and researcher. She is passionate about One Health issues and believes that addressing pet health, food safety, agricultural health, and other related concerns can help highlight the interconnection of human, animal, and environmental health. Veterinarians are primed to be at the forefront of One Health initiatives, and she is passionate about issues from antimicrobial resistance to infectious disease control, vaccination health, and wildlife conservation. She is a strong advocate of evidence-based veterinary medicine and the president-elect of the Evidence Based Veterinary Medical Association (EBVMA). She hopes to promote the use of evidence-based practices through her writing and clinical work, preserving the human-animal bond and improving health outcomes within a One Health context. References One Health Day. About One Health Day. One Health Day. Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.onehealthday.com/one/about/about-one-health-day One Health Commission. One Health Day. One Health Commission. 2025. Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.onehealthcommission.org/en/events_since_2001/one_health_day/ CDC Media Relations. CDC Newsroom. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Archive. January 1, 2016. Accessed October 14, 2025. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/media/releases/2016/a1102-one-health-day.html American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Pet health and veterinary awareness events. American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). 2025. Accessed October 13, 2025. https://www.avma.org/events/pet-health-and-veterinary-awareness-events Kahler SC. When Fire Strikes Home: Tending to the needs of pets affected by residential fires. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2018;252(4). doi:10.2460/javma.252.4.376 Basaria AAA, Ahsan A, Nadeem A, Tariq R, Raufi N. Infectious diseases following hydrometeorological disasters: current scenario, prevention, and control measures. Ann Med Surg. 2023;85(8):3778-3782. doi:10.1097/MS9.0000000000001056 Naing C, Reid SA, Aye SN, Htet NH, Ambu S. Risk factors for human leptospirosis following flooding: A meta-analysis of observational studies. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(5):e0217643. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217643 Ohl CA, Tapsell S. Flooding and human health. BMJ. 2000;321(7270):1167-1168. doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7270.1167 Yang Z, Huang W, McKenzie JE, et al. Mortality and morbidity risks associated with floods: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Res. 2024;263:120263. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.120263 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Flood Preparedness and Response. U.S. Department of Labor: Occupational Safety and Health Administration. October 1, 2025. Accessed October 14, 2025. https://www.osha.gov/flood/response Miller VE, Fitch KV, Swilley-Martinez ME, et al. Impact of Hurricanes and Floodings on Mental Health Outcomes Within the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2025;18:e335. doi:10.1017/dmp.2024.327 Fernandez A, Black J, Jones M, et al. Flooding and Mental Health: A Systematic Mapping Review. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(4):e0119929. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0119929 Bierque E, Thibeaux R, Girault D, Soupé-Gilbert ME, Goarant C. A systematic review of Leptospira in water and soil environments. PLOS ONE. 2020;15(1):e0227055. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0227055 Mwachui MA, Crump L, Hartskeerl R, Zinsstag J, Hattendorf J. Environmental and Behavioural Determinants of Leptospirosis Transmission: A Systematic Review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2015;9(9):e0003843. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0003843 Chadsuthi S, Chalvet-Monfray K, Wiratsudakul A, Modchang C. The effects of flooding and weather conditions on leptospirosis transmission in Thailand. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):1486. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-79546-x Antoniolli A, Guis H, Picardeau M, Goarant C, Flamand C. One Health Field Approach Applied to Leptospirosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Across Humans, Animals and the Environment. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2025;12(1):ofae757. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofae757

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