Forests NSW helps manage horse flu outbreak
From the Summer 2007 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
Forests NSW staff have been working long days with hundreds of other NSW DPI staff and volunteers in containing the horse flu outbreak. Photo by Alf Manciagli
Forests NSW staff joined their NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) colleagues at the forefront of efforts to contain the equine influenza (horse flu) outbreak that emerged in NSW inlate August.
Staff trained in incident management and emergency response are vital in complex and constantly changing situations.
Forests NSW firebranch manager, Steve Bishop, took on the role of operations manager at theState Disease Control Headquarters in Orange, while at Camden Forests NSW officers joined efforts at the Local Disease Control Centre in dealing with on the ground issues at places like Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park Equestrian Centre.
The effort at Camden was conducted from the Elizabeth Macarthur Agriculture Institute, and grew from a few officers in the first weekend of the outbreak toa conference centre holding 120 people within three days.
“Forests NSW hadabout 12 people involved in the first week or so of the outbreak and many more rotated around the various roles in following weeks,” Steve said.
“The incidentmanagement principles adopted by the two control centres were familiar toForests NSW people who are used to dealing in this way with fire.
“In fighting fires wedecide tactics on the ground aimed at containing it. In this case, the containment was a legal restriction to stop people moving horses to prevent the disease spreading.
“Fire fighting isusually over in two or three days or a week, but incidents like this disease outbreak run into weeks and months.”
This is not the first time Forests NSW has been involved in the control of incidents other than fire. Last year Forests NSW joined the fight against plague locusts,and earlier still, against Newcastle disease in chickens.
Howard Spencer Public Affairs & Media, Coffs Harbour
