An important part of fire prevention is working with your local police and fire departments to make sure that the staff has proper training in barn fires and horse evacuation. A local horsemen's group is an excellent vehicle for this relationship, and many fire departments are willing to have an annual evacuation drill at a local horse farm to familiarize staff with horse handling, behavior, and simple lessons like how gates and latches work. Farriers should use extreme care in the use of grinders and welding torches, and maintain their propane tanks, hoses, and forges. Trucks should be equipped with fire extinguishers that can be used on engine fires, electrical fires, and grass or wood fires.

Some farrier organizations, such as the Southern New England Farriers Association, have initiated non-compulsory truck inspections, where safety equipment is carefully checked.

Beyond normal barn fires caused by wiring or hay storage problems, wildfires and forest fires are another cause for concern. I ride my horse regularly through a forest that was burned four years ago, and I am also chilled by how close the burn came to barns where horses are kept. I know I will never forget those hot, dry days when the fire burned and the air was filled with ashes. Burning cinders landed on lawns and rooftops a mile from the fire. Think about it, and talk about it with your neighbors.

--Know your escape routes, by road and by trail.

--Know your neighbors.

--Keep transport vehicles in good running order.

--Make sure your community has a designated holding area for evacuated horses, like a fairground, vet clinic, or large farm.

The College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California/Davis is a leading institution in the study of disasters involving horses, and has excellent information available.

UC/Davis Center for Equine Health "Horses and Disaster" information: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh Please visit The UC Davis Center For Equine Health website for addtional information at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ceh