Forests NSW staff working hard to help horse owners

Two Forests NSW staff members based at Bombala have been away from their families and usual work roles helping in the response to horse influenza.

Harvesting forester Bruce Gerdes and operations forester Tim Gillespie-Jones have recently returned from six days working at the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Equine Influenza Local Disease Control Centre at Camden.

They have both been working in the centre as planning officers doing such things as daily situation reports and incident action plans, while also helping with on-line registrations for information and vet referrals.

"It was very interesting to be part of such a huge operation and to learn more about dealing with a bio-security," Mr Gillespie-Jones said.

"We have both been working long days from 7 am to 7 pm along with 100 or more people in the Camden control centre."

Numerous NSW Forests staff across the State have been involved in the NSW DPI control centres at Camden and Orange, or in a number of control centres in areas of the State, where there are concentrations of infected properties.

Equine Influenza was first confirmed in NSW horses at the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service’s Eastern Creek Quarantine facility in western Sydney on 20 August. On 22 August, the virus was confirmed among horses stabled at Centennial Park Equestrian Centre in central Sydney.

A horse stand-still was implemented across NSW and the whole State declared a Control Area for Equine Influenza.

NSW DPI deputy chief veterinary officer, Steve Dunn, said the horse stand-still had been very effective in restricting the spread of the disease with vast areas of the State remaining virus free.

"We can liken the equine influenza to a bush fire. A lot of people see bushfires as uncontrollable, but they are controllable especially when you watch for spot-overs, while containing the main outbreak," he said.

Photo available from sarahc@sf.nsw.gov.au

Key contacts:
NSW Equine Influenza Hotline 1800 675 888
More information:  www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza