Seven livestock emergency response trailers have been developed by the Minnesota Pork Board in cooperation with Region 5 Minnesota Emergency Management, that are available in the event of a livestock truck rollover.
These trailers have been placed in Adams, Buffalo Lake, Fairmont, Granite Falls, Pipestone, Sleepy Eye, and Worthington.
The trailers were designed to complement the existing resources of the local fire departments. They are equipped with gating, sort boards and hand tools that will help ensure animal well-being and public safety. The trailers were paid for through a grant from the Department of Homeland Security and were assembled by the Minnesota Pork Board and Region 5 Emergency Management. The trailers are housed and dispatched through fire departments and/or county departments of transportation. Work is being done to develop memorandums of understanding to allow trailers to cross state lines.
“Unfortunately incidents involving livestock happen. Our goal is to have the resources available to response rapidly these accidents. These trainings provide a way for the people who respond to livestock rollovers to learn how to safely and effectively handle livestock in a distress situation,” said Jill Resler, Director of Education for the Minnesota Pork Board.