Code 3 Associates, Inc., a non-profit animal rescue organization based in Longmont, Colorado, has been deployed at the request of, and in cooperation with, the Louisiana State Animal Request Team (LASART). The initial response will be to stage in the Little Rock, Arkansas area. Officials in McComb, Louisiana are warning the 50,000 to 60,000 residents, who could be impacted, of the likelihood of an imminent breech of the Lake Tangipahoa Dam. Initial tasking needs expressed by officials could include both animal and human water rescue operations, which the team is trained in, and certified for. Code 3’s full-time four person disaster response team left Longmont at approximately 11:00am this morning with their 83 foot tractor trailer, named BART (Big Animal Rescue Truck). BART carries the rescue team’s safety equipment, animal rescue equipment, and both land and water based rescue vehicles. Additionally, BART is designed and equipped to support nine people in a zero resource environment for up to ten days. The Ryan Newman Foundation is working closely with Code 3 as they determine what areas and animal organizations affected by the hurricane need help. Pet food and supplies will be shipped out as early as next week. To make a donation towards supplies visit ryannewmanfoundation.org and click the ‘donate’ tab. For more information on Code 3 visit code3associates.org.(9-1-2012)
