UI Extension launches STEER program to train first responders for livestock emergencies

University of Idaho Extension has created a new program to prepare the state’s first responders to assist in livestock transportation accidents, filling an important training gap.

Extension’s new Stock Transportation Emergency Education and Response (STEER) program includes a half day of classroom learning and a half day of hands-on training with live beef and dairy cows, horses and sheep.

Sessions will cater to law enforcement officers, firefighters, county brand inspectors and other first responders who may be called upon when livestock are loose or injured due to vehicle accidents on public roadways.

“In talking with the police supervisors, the county sheriffs and others, they say that there isn’t a training on this that they are provided by their own statewide organizations,” said Extension Educator Sawyer Fonnesbeck, Oneida County. “If a livestock trailer crashes, for example, usually they’re going to be responsible for the crash and the vehicle. As far as the livestock, they are kind of like, ‘OK, what do we do?’ Sometimes they just call the owner of the livestock and see if they can do anything.”

Livestock emergencies are bound to happen periodically in rural Idaho, which is one of eight states in which the population of cattle exceeds the total human population, though protocols on how to respond to such emergencies are not always clear.

“I’m out of Weiser, and in the three years since I’ve been here, we’ve had two different occasions of cattle getting out in the middle of town, as well as about two months ago there was a flock of sheep running around through our downtown,” said University of Idaho Extension Educator Tyler O’Donnell, Washington County.

The offices of Idaho’s state veterinarian, who is part of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, and the state brand inspector, who is affiliated with Idaho State Police, organized a similar course for law enforcement officers more than a decade ago, but it’s been a few years since they last offered it.

“I think it’s a great idea, and it’s something that is needed within the state,” said Idaho Brand Inspector Cody Burlile. “I would love to help out in whatever capacity I can.”

Typically, county deputies and Idaho State Police are the first to respond to livestock emergencies, and Burlile’s staff are often called later to assist.

“It seems like a lot of times we’ll get calls to respond to truck accidents — maybe a cow trailer tipped over; it seems like we’ll get called out to several of those per year in some capacity — or maybe it’s just livestock out on the road,” Burlile said.

University of Idaho Extension Educator Selena Davila, Lincoln County, was recently chosen as U of I’s new point of contact for the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), which is a collaborative initiative aimed at improving disaster preparedness and response through research-based education provided by U.S Cooperative Extension Service. Davila received a $25,000 grant through EDEN to launch STEER, which Extension plans to continue teaching throughout the state long after the initial grant funds are exhausted.

The UI Extension team hopes to eventually get STEER approved for continuing education credits for law enforcement professionals through Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Davila, Fonnesbeck and O’Donnell got the idea for STEER after seeing a poster about a similar program offered by Michigan State University (MSU) Extension while attending a conference. MSU sent U of I their program curriculum to help them get started in creating a version for Idaho. Davila and Fonnesbeck are also planning a trip to meet with The Ohio State University Extension to learn about their livestock emergency-response training program.

Participants in U of I’s training will learn skills such as how to put a halter on a horse and how to safely move livestock.

Area producers will contribute livestock and a livestock trailer for training sessions.

“At least when first responders get out and there are a bunch of cows on the road, they will have a better idea of how to move them and how they are going to respond,” Davila said.

Participants will receive homework to help their departments prepare for livestock emergencies, such as developing a list of contacts who may wish to be notified about livestock emergencies or might lend assistance. Potential contacts could include local feedlots that may house livestock temporarily, ranchers willing to help round up livestock, fairgrounds groundskeepers, veterinarians and a county brand inspector.

The sessions will be hosted April 20 in Eastern Idaho, April 21 in Jerome, April 22 in Caldwell and April 24-25 in Moscow. Furthermore, U of I meat science and veterinary science students will participate in the April 25 training on the Moscow campus.

Registration is $10 per person, and Extension will accept up to 30 participants per workshop. STEER will give one tote bag for each department involved in the training with supplies for use in livestock emergencies such as lariats, information cards, livestock halters and livestock triage chalk.

Other STEER program organizers include Extension educators Cheyanne Fisher, Canyon County; and Meranda Small, Idaho County; as well as Dr. Lauren Christensen, a veterinarian with the Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences.

Contact Davila for more information about STEER.