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Large Animal RescueWho Teaches LAR Classes?Emergency Equine Response Unit, in Kansas. B.E.A.R. (Basic Equine Awareness and Rescue) is a Level 1 eight-hour course designed for the horse owner and the Level 1 first responder. The B.E.A.R. course appeals to ranch owners, horse owners, firefighters, law enforcement, animal control, and rescue personnel. This course serves only as a basic awareness on large animal rescue with an emphasis on equine rescue. The B.E.A.R. course is complimentary to both the Code 3 Associates Technical Animal Rescue Course, and the Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue course instructed by Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez. B.E.A.R. also includes instruction and information given by fire Capt. John and Debbie Fox to help promote large animal rescue instruction across the nation.
Eric is certified in ice, water, mud, rock, and trailer rescues of animals, and has received 15 certificates of
achievement from FEMA in disaster planning. Eric is a certified National Equine Cruelty Investigator
through L.E.T.I at the University of Missouri. In addition, Eric is working with several counties in both
Missouri and Kansas as a FAD planning consultant. Recently, Eric has been instructing Community
Emergency Response Teams (CERT) in Missouri on how to handle animals in disasters.
Emergency Training Systems, in Tennessee. Jeff Galloway has moved on to Ohio. Good luck, Jeff! Reflected J Livestock in Alberta, Canada.
Currently, Jennifer works closely with and consults to the livestock industry across North America and
Europe. She has been delivering livestock handling courses including Livestock Emergency
Response, Livestock Behavior and Handling and Livestock Handling for Youth throughout North America
since 1997. Jennifer is trained and certified in Large Animal Rescue and has been assisting on
accident scenes since 1998.
Jennifer has certified Canadian universities for the Canadian Council on Animal Care and developed a
livestock behavior and handling curriculum for colleges. In 2004, she started working with Dr. Temple
Grandin for certification to perform Livestock Handling Audits for Auction Marts and Meat Plants.
In 2006, Jennifer was presented with the Award of Distinction for Innovation by Alberta Farm Animal
Care for her Livestock Emergency Response Program. This honor is "awarded to a person/company
who has developed a new process, product or source of knowledge that has made a significant impact
on the improvement of the welfare of livestock and the industry. The honorees are also saluted for
their effort to work collectively with the industry to share the innovation." The initiative to develop
Canada’s first training program to assist first responders and livestock haulers with livestock related
accidents was recognized as exemplary.
Jennifer holds Membership in Animal Transportation Association (International);
Animal Agriculture Alliance;
Canadian Agricultural Safety Association; and,
Alberta Farm Animal Care.
The Large Animal Rescue Co., in California. The Large Animal Rescue Co. delivers the California State Fire Training FSTEP class, Large Animal Rescue Operational, developed by John and Debra Fox of the Felton Fire Protection District. This training combines the technical skills of the Fire Service with an understanding of horse characteristics and behavior. The class, LAR Operational, was built on the efforts of others including Timothy Collins, Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez, and tempered by expert horsemen Ray Berta and Mark Rashid. LAR Operational reflects the field experience gained through the many rescues performed by Felton Fire, an average of one per month. The techniques reflect innovative adaptations to cope with dramatic and remote terrain. Meticulously reviewed by experts in related fields, the class structure reflects the high standards of California State Fire Training, provides a “common page” for all emergency responders and horse owners, and offers state recognized certification in this new technical skill. Large Animal Rescue was established as an official response in Santa Cruz County in 1997. He is the primary developer of LAROperational, approved by CA State Fire Training and P.O.S.T. and is a
CA State Fire Instructor 1. John also works as a Peace Officer/Investigator for the State of California.
Deb Fox has been an active responder with the FFPD for over 8 years, first as photographer then as a
Firefighter/EMT. A horsewoman with 24 years experience, she is a lead in the LAR Unit and a veteran
of numerous rescues. Deb earned her CA State Fire Instructor 1A and 1B and was a developer of
LAROperational. She also works as a Paintings Conservator for the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
For more information on these animal rescue resources go to The Large Animal Rescue Co.
Frandford Fire Department, in Maine.
They also offer a 6-hour horse owner course, "Is Your Horse Rescue Ready", at clubs, seminars, and meetings. This course teaches owners how to better enable a rescue in the event of an incident, as well as the workings of rescue personnel on scene. The goal of the Rescue Ready Owners Program is to better enable efficiencies on scenes for all horses, owners, and responders involved in a LAER incident.
Lead Instructors:
Vicki also serves on the Maine Fire Protection Services Commission, and the Advisory Council for
Maine Fire Training & Education. Vicki is Training Program Coordinator for The Frandford Mutual Aid
Fire Training Association and specialized in Large Animal Emergency Rescue and Firefighter I programs
for rural departments. She also owns and operates Troika Drafts in Hebron ME., specializing in drafts & crosses.
Rob Dixon: Lieutenant for the Rumford Fire Department, Rumford Maine and also a paramedic and
Captain for Andover Fire Dept in Andover ME. His specialties are technical rescue of all sorts as well
as company operations for structural fire fighting. Rob is also a Maine Certified Municipal Instructor II
and President of the Frandford Mutual Aid Fire Training Association.
Assistant Instructors:
Gene Cote: State Fire Instructor II and Logistics Services for Maine Fire Training & Education.
Gene is also a full-time paramedic and firefighter for the Portland ME Fire Department and serves on
JetPort Rescue for the Portland International Jetport. His specialties are all facets of technical rescue
with a passion for high and low angle.
Equine Instructors:
Troika Ember JAC, a 2004 Shire mare, is also a favorite of students with her
ability to communicate in perfect horse to human language.
New England Truffles, a 2007 Shire filly, is a natural "people horse" due to
losing her mom at a very early age.
For more information on these animal rescue resources go to Frandford Fire. You can also call 207-966-2280 or email.
Sierra Rescue, in California.
Sierra Rescue is the California Regional Training Center for Rescue 3 International. They have training facilities in Quincy on the Feather River, Coloma on the South Fork American River, and in Knights Ferry on the Stanislaus River, as well as select locations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah. Sierra Rescue specializes in swiftwater rescue, including two technical animal rescue classes. With more than 25 years experience, Sierra Rescue provides expert instruction and superior training experience in the outdoor rescue professional industry. They will happily design a class around your needs. For more information on these animal rescue resources go to Sierra Rescue. You can also email.
Northern California Specialized Training, in California. Large Animal Rescue Operational This 16 hour course is designed to meet Fire Service, Law Enforcement, Animal Control, Rescue Squad, Urban Search and Rescue and County Search and Rescue team standards for Large Animal Rescue Operations. It is a mixed lecture/experience learning course with lots of hands on practicing of animal rescue skills. Other objectives include an in-depth look at the uses of ropes in technical animal rescue, animal handling, setting up technical rope systems and much more. This course provides the knowledge and skills necessary so responders can work in "concert" with each other, guided by an understanding of horse characteristics and behavior. FSTEP certified. Prerequisites: Low Angle Rope Rescue Operations is preferred; 18 years of age; adequate health insurance coverage; in good physical condition. No live animals are used, and the classes are open to the public. For more information on these animal rescue resources go to Nor-Cal Training or email
Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue, in South Carolina. Included are 30 hours of classroom instruction and hands on training with live trained animals, including horses and a llama. Instruction covers the use of sedatives and tranquilizers, chemical restraint, rescue ropes and knots, rescue from horse barn fires, mud rescue, helicopter rescue and water rescue, among other situations. Each session also includes a nighttime search and rescue exercise. The training covers natural disasters as well as highway mishaps, suchas overturned trailers. The techniques taught can be applied to all large animals. A new class has been added this year: Awareness, with less hours and hands on work.
By 1995, Dr. Gimenez was working with the visionary Dr. Venaye Reece at the State Veterinarian's
office in SC to offer small workshops and speaking about preparedness for veterinarians, plus offering some of the information
that he had collected from around the world as to methods for technical emergency rescue.
Much of that information was wivestales, recklessly employed, or had rarely been tested in real
incidents, and thus Dr. Gimenez enlisted the assistance of some of his students at Clemson to
research workable, simple and reliable methods of manipulation of large animals. (A few years
later, he would marry Dr. Rebecca Bott, who was interested primarily in the behavioral responses of
horses and taught their famed demonstration animals to lie down, to allow themselves to
be lifted, and to cooperate for many simulated rescue training events as well as research for
better equipment and techniques.)
In 1997, they were asked to put on a 1 day training event in Monk's Corner, SC with the
Charleston Area Rescue Squad and Cpt. Shawn Jones; after a morning orientation via powerpoint
lecture, the hands-on training events that day included overturning and cutting up a horse trailer,
lifting a horse in an Anderson Sling, basic manipulation of a recumbent horse, and evaluation of
various appliances that could be used on large animals. Training in Technical Large Animal Emergency
Rescue was born! Of special note was a fundamental change in perspective: the fire
service's involvement and needs for this information began to drive the evolution of new
ideas and procedures to intertwine with existing Incident Command System architecture and fit
with FEMA's animal rescue doctrine. By 1999, when the Gimenez's traveled to California to
meet Cpt John and Debra Fox of Felton Fire District and the West Coast experts in Large Animal
Rescue, they were convinced that reaching the emergency responders who actually answered
the 911 calls and saw these incidents on a regular basis was crucial.
In the early days, the course was 1, then quickly 2, days of awareness level information with
minimal hands on and a few demonstrations. By 2003, there was enough material for a 3 day
course to be offered at the operational level for a limited number of hands-on participants, and
of course there were always many auditors observing. Mud rescue of live horses, overturn and
stabilization of a full size trailer, a night Search and Rescue operation capped with strapping a live (sedated) horse to a
Rescue Glide, manipulation of live recumbent horses and use of a floatation device on a live
animal became de rigueur for the course. USRider, Inc. became the philanthropic partner for
the training events, sponsoring numerous courses, training events, educational material and
supporting research into TLAER / LAR via their Leg Up Fund, and via curriculum offerings at
Eastern Kentucky University. Veterinary schools began to ask for training for their students and
faculty members, people of numerous professional disciplines (fire, heavy rescue, EMS,
veterinarians, animal control, etc.) were starting to recognize this specialty area of rescue for
what it was: dangerous, difficult, and challenging.
Dr. Tomas Gimenez's contributions to the field are innumerable, but in particular there are
pieces of equipment (Nicopolous Needle, Becker Vertical Lift Web Sling, Equine Floatation
Device, Carabiner Extender Poles, Schwartz Air / Water Mud Injectors, etc.) that
he researched and designed with many collaborators (and is too humble to accept
naming some of them after himself). He has kept the local welding shop very busy with
various generations of improvements of the equipment.
Early on he saw the value of new methodologies and techniques (Widener Forward
Assist configuration, Hampshire Slip, Becker Sling, etc.) and promoted their use after
doing the research to prove that they worked better than previous generations of equipment.
He customized the A-Frame proposed by Norco Fire Rescue to allow vertical lift of large animals;
improved the design of several pieces of equipment used for these large patients (modified
the early Rescue Glide, improved the Santa Barbara and Becker Slings, adopted
and improved the fire hose floatation device proposed by Lexington Fire, supported the use of
rope / webbing anchors and mechanical advantage for moving large animal victims,
and promulgated the use of shoring and extrication techniques for confined space, trench,
and motor vehicle accidents with large animals.
In 2006, Tomas designed a Mud Rescue Simulation Horse. "KEYLOR" was
made to simulate the weight of a horse in the abdomen and body, about 660 pounds when
filled with water. The neck and head simulate the balance point on a real horse (about 10%
of the weight of the horse – so an additional 60 pounds or so when filled with water).
Tomas used parts that were easily accessible at the local hardware stores – and added
a mop for a tail!
Another of Tomas's innovations is the Wideman configuration. In this variation of a
forward assist - similar to a Swiss Seat on a human – the webbing runs from the thoracic
inlet over the withers and back down to the front of the horse, where it is looped over itself.
The Hampshire Slip sideways drag configuration is also an improvement now
in use. For more information on these animal rescue resources go to TLAER
Charleston County Volunteer Rescue Squad, LART in North Charleston SC Large Animal Rescue Team Members deliver a 16 hour program developed by the team based on materials and training from the California State Fire Training Academy and Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez. The training provided combines the technical skills with an understanding of horse characteristics, behavior and responder safety at the forefront. The course involves the use or both live and mannequins to teach responders the most effective and safest way to address LAR emergencies. The Large Animal Rescue program reflects the field experience gained through the many rescues performed by members of this specialized team in South Carolina. The techniques reflect innovative adaptations to cope with dramatic and remote areas. Charleston County Rescue Squad has been performing animal rescues since 1997.
Lead Instructor – Shawn Jones In 2001, he went to work with Charleston County Emergency Preparedness Division and started as a Volunteer with the County Rescue Squad. The Rescue Squad hosted the first LAR class to be taught by Dr. Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez from Clemson University. While there he developed the County's LAR Team and the training program in conjunction with the South Carolina Clemson Livestock Poultry Health which coordinates ESF17 for the State of SC. He also developed a Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) program for the State as well, part of the CERT program.
Shawn also serves as a Logistics Section Chief with the Lowcountry type III Incident Management Team (IMT), and is a handler with the SC Search Dog Team with his trailing beagle Smartie Jones. He is also certified in Swiftwater Rescue, Technical and Trench Rescue, and a Master Scuba Diver. He along with his wife owns and operates Graymoure Stables.
Technical Rescue Instructor – Chris "CJ" Johnson
Throughout his career, CJ has worked as a Firefighter, Paramedic, Public Safety Officer, Critical Care Flight Paramedic, and Hospital System Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Currently, he is the Disaster Preparedness Training Manager for the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium. He is also involved in the South Carolina Lowcountry Regional Terrorism Task Force, South Carolina Emergency Response Task Force (SCTF-1 Urban Search and Rescue), and South Carolina 1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (SC1 DMAT).
Mr. Johnson is a certified instructor through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress, South Carolina State Fire Academy and U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Center for Domestic Preparedness. He has attended numerous courses throughout the country, including Weapons of Mass Destruction Hazardous Materials Technician, Incident Response to Terrorist Bombings and Advanced Tactical Management of WMD Incidents. He currently teaches courses and seminars throughout the country in Weapons of Mass Destruction Preparedness and Response, Disaster Response, Technical Rescue, Swiftwater/Flood Rescue, and Large Animal Rescue.
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Eric Thompson is a graduate of Kansas University with a B.G.S. in Environmental Science.
From 1990 to 1994, Eric worked for Kansas Wildlife and Parks conducting research studies in
both wildlife and fisheries fields. In 1997, Eric graduated the Kansas Law Enforcement Training
Center with his Police commission. Currently Eric is working for Shawnee Police Department as
a Community Service Officer. He is currently an instructor for the Kansas Animal Control
Association in topics such as Search/Seizure, Dangerous Animal Handling, Large Animal Handling,
Chemical Immobilization, Officer Safety Tactics, and Kansas Animal Law.
Jennifer Woods obtained an Animal Science degree from Colorado State University in 1992.
She has extensive experience with cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, elk and bison.
John Fox has been a Firefighter/Captain/Battalion Chief with FFPD for 20 years.
Previous to joining FFPD, he was a Captain with Lockheed Fire Dept. until closure of the department. An avid horseman, John
established the Felton Fire Dept. LAR Unit that responds mutual aid throughout central California.
Frandford Fire offers a day-long LAER Awareness program for first responders.
In 1993, Dr. Tomas Gimenez was enjoying teaching endocrinology, theriogenology and
doing equine research in horse reproduction and nutrition at Clemson University in Clemson, SC.
But he had seen what happened to GA, SC and NC when hurricanes hit the state, and was concerned
about the minimal level of disaster preparedness of most horse and cattle owners that he knew
personally. Very few took the threat seriously, and even fewer had evacuation plans for their a
nimals and family. That year, he attended the second International Conference on Large Animal
Rescue in California – which was the brainchild of Dr. Richard Mansmann. The few people around
the world who were interested in this specialty area were there including disaster planners,
responders and emergency field animal rescuers. He had found a group of people who took it
seriously, and when he returned he began learning and asking questions around his home state
to determine the level of communication, response infrastructure and disaster planning for large
animals. He found there to be minimal resources and coordination – similar to many other
areas of the nation.
