Clark County EOP Basic Plan 3. Concept of Operations Individuals with children have the primary responsibility for minimizing the impact of disasters on themselves and their children through personal preparedness activities. To the greatest extent possible, County Family Services will assist in carrying out this responsibility by providing preparedness information, emergency public information, and critical public services. 3.4.8 Animals in Disaster While the protection of human life is paramount, the need to care for domestic livestock and/or companion animals plays into decisions made by people affected by disasters. Preparing for the care of animals during a disaster is the responsibility of owners. However, the County may coordinate with local animal owners, veterinarians, and animal advocacy groups and charities sponsored by private organizations to address animal-related issues that arise during an emergency. In addition, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) through volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corp, is minimally available to support animal shelter operations and resource needs. The County may elect to coordinate a volunteer group to lead animal evacuation and shelter planning needs as able. If local resources are insufficient to meet the needs of animals during a disaster, the County may request assistance through NDEM. The County maintains a Household Pets and Service Animals Appendix, which outlines five main components to address the needs of animals in disaster. These components are as follows:  Animal transportation support.  Shelter operations.  Veterinary care.  Search and rescue.  Emergency feeding. See the ESF 6 Annex, Household Pets and Service Animals Appendix for more details. 3.4.9 Demobilization As the emergency situation progresses and the immediate response subsides, a transition period will occur during which emergency responders will hand responsibility for emergency coordination to agencies involved with short- and long-term recovery operations. The following issues will be considered when demobilizing:  Identification of surplus resources and probable resource release times.  Released or demobilized response resources as approved by the on-scene Incident Commander and/or MACC Manager.  Repair and maintenance of equipment, if necessary. The Emergency Manager, with advice from the on-scene Incident Commander, will determine when a State of Emergency no longer exists, emergency operations can be terminated, and normal County functions can be restored. 3-13