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Photo of a past AEWG Symposium - Click to enlarge
For Immediate Release: March 19, 2013
NJDA Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954

(TRENTON) – The New Jersey Animal Emergency Working Group (AEWG) will hold its 15th Annual Symposium on Wednesday, April 10 at the Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center in Westampton to prepare state and county animal response teams to aid animals during house, barn and forest fires.

During the daylong seminar, there will be a number of speakers focusing on prevention, as well as response for these types of emergencies.  There also will be a presentation on coordination between agencies.

Live-Safe.org reported approximately 40,000 pets die each year in the United States as a result of fire and the National Volunteer Fire Council said about half a million pets are impacted by home fires annually.

The National Fire Prevention Association said during 2006-2010, an estimated 830 structure fires in barns were reported to U.S. fire departments per year.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture, under the auspices of AEWG, develops and coordinates plans to protect animals during emergency situations.  It oversees state and county animal response teams that work in the field during disasters and emergencies.  The AEWG operates under the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health and the New Jersey State Police, Office of Emergency Management.

Animal control officers, police and firefighters, county emergency planners, animal response volunteers, veterinary-related personnel and others with an interest in assisting animals during emergency situations will be in attendance at the symposium.

Click here for the registration form.

For more information about AEWG and county and state animal response teams, visit: www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/ah/prog/emergency_preparedness.html.