Disaster Status Updates - ARCHIVE

NorCal Fires Status Updates

10/25/2017 - A HUGE THANK YOU

The Sonoma County Horse Council would like to acknowledge the incredible love shown by so many volunteers. With great tragedy, comes great support and with great support comes great thanks.

Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who came to the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds and worked tirelessly throughout the past two weeks.

A special "gold star THANK YOU" should go to SONOMA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS for responding immediately to our call asking that the Fairgrounds be made available to evacuated animals. To MARILYN ENGSTROM who was there from morning til night from day one, overseeing the volunteers and offering direction. The number of volunteers who phoned or responded thru social media to just our call for help was overwhelming - over 2500 people! If you offered to help and didn't get a response, we apologize. We tried to keep up with returning calls or emails.

Many came to muck stalls, check in animals, feed, water and make veterinary rounds. Also, the wonderful people who offered to house orphaned animals and the teams of brave, brave people with horse and cattle trailers going into the burning hot spots and bringing creatures big and small to safety.

Finally, thank you to all the "Special Peeps" (and you know who you are) that worked behind the scenes selflessly, buying needed items and paying for them out of their own pockets, not expecting any recognition for their efforts with the primary goal of organizing the influx, care and finally the departure of all or most of the critters from the fairgrounds.

We are humbled by the support our community has shown for one another. Now that we are safe, the next goal is to compile and document all of this knowledge and experience, so that it may be put into a PLAN that can be implemented should another disaster ever occur.

10/21/2017

Sonoma County Farm Bureau Offers Assistance to Farmers and Livestock Affected by Wildfires

Sonoma County Farm Bureau is working with the Sonoma County Emergency Operations Center, Sonoma County Animal Services, Sonoma County Horse Council and other local organizations to ensure that farmers, ranchers and livestock have the support needed to overcome the damage caused by the destructive wildfires in Northern California.

Read more 

10/18/2017

On behalf of the Sonoma County Horse Council, we hope you and your animals are safe, or at least in a safe haven for now. We offer our condolences, sympathy, and support to all of you who may have lost your home, personal belongings, and/or animals during these deadly and ravenous fires. We will have a long road ahead, but we are so very encouraged by the incredible outpouring of love and kindness that was shown and continues each day.

With that, it is appropriate that the contents of the winter issue of the Horse Journal be stories from our equine community. Stories of survival, rescue and recovery. Stories of coming together at a time when it was needed most. Stories of future plans to rebuild and come back better than before.

Read more →

10/18/2017

THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR INQUIRIES AND OFFERS OF HELP!

We are swamped with amazing offers from all over the Bay Area, but need some of your assistance to sort through all of the phone calls and emails.

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY TO REDUCE CALLS AND EMAILS TO US.

EVACUATIONS: 
Large animals of all kind are still being evacuated to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and other fairgrounds around the North Bay. If you need
evacuation assistance, please call 415-377-0776 . The owner must be the one to make a call in order to ensure the safety of the
animal. Please stop distributing any “reposts” of evacuation requests - our evacuation team is duplicating completed efforts and straining our team.

VOLUNTEERS:
If you want to volunteer at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, please input your information to this spreadsheet - 
https://docs.google.com/…/12FnzgxdRSY6HrLe613RY7o3wKy…/edit…
OR
fill out this form which may be easier https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfxOE1fMON5UbTbA…/viewform…
OR
call the Fairgrounds at 707-545-4200 . These methods of volunteering help us best to coordinate volunteers. Volunteer shifts are minimum 4 hours long (8a-12p, 12p-4p, 4p-8p, 8p-12a, 12a-4a, 4a-8a). We are in special need of volunteers in the evening and through the night. To get to the Fairgrounds, please enter off Aston Ave from Petaluma Hill Rd, Brookwood Ave is blocked off for Emergency Personnel only.

DONATIONS:
The best way to donate is a monetary donation and there are several ways to do that. If you are interested in making cash donations, there should be a way to donate at https://www.sonomacountyhorsecouncil.org/ by the end of the day today (Friday) or you can write a check to the Sonoma County Horse Council with a memo stating “2017 Fire Relief” and mail to PO Box 7157, Santa Rosa, CA 95407. If you are interested in donating money for feed or supplies, please call one of the local feed barns such as Western Farm ((707) 800-4453) or Rivertown Feed ((707) 762-4505) or Larsens Feed ((707) 527-7328). They know what supplies are needed at the evacuation centers and can advise you to purchase the appropriate supplies and then will deliver to the evacuation centers. If you have physical donations please take them to the Animal Services Center at 1247 Century Ct, Santa Rosa, CA

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF THE GENEROUS OFFERS, IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED IN THIS TIME OF NEED FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

- Denise Gilseth and the Sonoma County Horse Council

10/12/2017

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INTEREST IN VOLUNTEERING AT THE FAIRGROUNDS. WE ARE SWAMPED WITH OFFERS WHICH IS FANTASTIC. TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN VOLUNTEERING, PLEASE HELP US BY PUTTING YOUR CONTACT INFO IN THIS SPREADSHEET.

10/11/2017

We need donations of orchard grass hay and shavings purchased thru Western Farm, Rivertown Feed or Larsens Feed - they will deliver.  We will also add your name to our volunteer list.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!  Please join the Sonoma Co. Horse Council!  We need people who can get in there and help when needed!