Improving broiler house disaster response, recovery plans

Disaster response and recovery plans are designed to prepare for emergencies and disasters, helping everyone make better decisions during a crisis. Planning during non-crisis times can reduce financial losses and enhance worker safety and animal welfare when a disaster strikes.  

 Were you ready for the COVID-10 pandemic challenges? 

The pandemic provided a perfect example of how unexpected events can impact broiler production. Over a relatively short period, workers became too sick to care for chickens, and processing plants had to close or reduce capacity to compensate for sick workers and distancing protocols.  

 Use the following suggestions to strengthen or create disaster response and recovery plans for a broiler operation.

 Planning to reduce disaster impact 

 Sometimes called risk mitigation, this process protects and prepares a facility for disasters.   

Consider the following:

• Document storage: At the farm, create a water-proof, easy to find location for disaster documents. Have a second, off-site, location with duplicate documents.
• Power needs: Provide instructions for maintaining a generator and how to connect essential equipment. Routinely confirm that fuel is available in portable gas tanks for all equipment, including supplemental heat sources for broiler houses recently stocked with chicks.
• Equipment readiness: Set up a regular maintenance schedule for equipment needed for daily operations as well as emergency equipment such as chain saws.  
• Grounds preparation: Are drainage ditches free of debris? Is there an appropriate “clear” zone around the broiler houses? Are extra food and water protected from the elements? Schedule walk-throughs to confirm that items are stored properly, both inside and outside the houses.   
• Create a checklist for documenting damage. Store the checklist and a digital camera with other documents.
• Schedule initial and refresher training sessions. Practice makes action easier during actual disasters.

Response planning 

Responses during, and immediately after, disasters should focus on protecting worker health and safety, safeguarding flocks, and making initial repairs to facilities and equipment. Have the following information ready:

• Create emergency contact lists for the following:
  1. Animal care personnel, including at least one veterinarian
  2. Company and government contacts for reporting damage
  3. Local fire and other emergency personnel 
  4. All staff members and families to confirm safety
• Create a map of the farm with the locations of all broiler houses and storage sheds.
• Animal care: Document activities needed to meet basic animal needs of food, water, ventilation, containment and veterinary care. To purchase supplies, have cash available or pre-arranged contracts with suppliers.   
• Instructions for equipment: use simple language and pictures in case less experienced personnel need to carry out tasks.
• Designate methods and locations for salvage operations.   
• Have a biosecurity plan in place. While imperative for disease outbreaks, a biosecurity plan is important for any disaster, since birds will be stressed and sanitation conditions will change.
• Create a depopulation plan. In large-scale commercial poultry farms, evacuation of broilers is not feasible. When birds are injured, basic supplies are unavailable, or people are unable to care for birds, killing broilers may be the most humane and economical option. Know regional and company guidelines for acceptable euthanasia methods.
• Create a carcass disposal plan: Methods for dealing with catastrophic animal losses include burial, composting, and incineration. Know the local guidelines for preferred methods and their environmental impact.     

Recovery is an opportunity to restore operations and prepare for future disasters. (deyanarobova | iStock.com)

Recovery planning 

During recovery, the focus switches to restoring farm operations to pre-disaster conditions. Disaster recovery includes repairing or rebuilding broiler houses, replacing equipment, and repopulating. Consider the following:

• Create and regularly update a farm asset inventory, so it is available for insurance, disaster relief and company reports   
• Maintain a copy of the parent company’s disaster policies and submit information promptly
• Be aware of government assistance programs available in the region
• Pre-plan for desired improvements, recovery is an opportunity to improve your operation and prepare for future disasters. Have information ready to move a broiler house to a safer area on the property or clear a larger area around the houses.     

Planning for disasters should be an on-going activity with routine reviews and training. By using non-emergency times to prepare, the impact of a disaster can be minimized, staff will respond more quickly and recovery time can be reduced.

Types of disasters

In addition to planning for human disease pandemics, take into account the following disaster types.   

• Natural disaster: Weather events pertinent to your region, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, extreme weather and temperature.  
• Poultry disease: Diseases highly contagious to other chickens and/or able to spread to humans.
• Infrastructure issues: Utility failure, technical failures, and fires that can be causes by accidents or deliberate acts, such as terrorism.  

Regardless of the type, length and geographical spread of a disaster, the same basic planning elements remain.