Supervisors Grant Emergency Access During Natural Disasters
SAN JOSE – The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the creation of a Livestock Pass Program. The Livestock Pass Program grants ranchers, livestock producers and managers, and first responders limited access to restricted areas to care for, or evacuate, livestock during natural disasters.
“Whether it’s a wildfire, an earthquake or some other form of natural disaster, we need to be prepared,” said County Supervisor Joe Simitian. “We have to give local communities the tools they need to keep their livestock and livelihoods safe. Unfortunately, we know this will be an issue in the months and years ahead.”
The Livestock Pass Program is the County’s implementation of Assembly Bill 1103, signed into law in October 2021. The law addresses the issue of access to livestock during a natural disaster, such as a wildfire. First responders typically close roads during natural disasters for the safety of local residents and to prevent motorists from impeding response efforts. An unfortunate and unintended circumstance is the restriction of ranchers and livestock managers from being able to access and care for their animals.
At the discretion of emergency personnel, the County’s Livestock Pass Program will give emergency access to restricted areas for eligible individuals during a natural disaster and other emergencies—to care for livestock only. Livestock owner-operators, operations managers, and other interested parties can download an application online or can apply in person through the County’s Division of Agriculture. The Pass’ conditional access will be granted for those who meet the eligibility criteria and participate in a mandatory four-hour fire safety training provided by CalFire on Saturday, July 30, 2022, from 8 a.m. to noon. Livestock Pass renewals will occur every two years, and pass holders must complete refresher fire safety training during the renewal process.
The County Division of Agriculture and cooperating agencies such as CalFire, the County Office of Emergency Management, County Animal Care Services, the Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies, will post informational links on their respective websites with program details once they have been finalized.
“Law enforcement officials and incident commanders will still have authority during an emergency, and the ability to use discretion to determine if it’s safe to access any particular area,” said Simitian. “However, the pass program will ensure that when it is safe, owners and managers responsible for livestock can provide the necessary care.”
Download the Livestock Pass Program application then email the completed form to [email protected] or fax to (408) 286-2460.