Terri in the field

Terri has worked with a variety of public agencies in California and across the United States.

The Humane Society of the United States

I want to thank you for your response to the cockfighting raid in San Luis Obispo. It is important that you know you played a critical role in the positive outcome of this mission. You went above and beyond the call of duty in this cockfighting raid.

First, you responded on extremely short notice to the plight of these birds. Your expediency in answering the call was of utmost importance to the success of this mission. Second, you showed your dedication to the cause by completing all that was asked of you, no matter how long the hours required. All parties involved, from HSUS management and field responders to the sheriff deputies, all remarked about the high-level work ethic you demonstrated.

Finally, you did not shirk from the conditions and challenging circumstances under which you toiled. Your hard work and quality performance in the face of challenging circumstances was duly noted and is very much appreciated.

Thank you for the professionalism and reliability you demonstrated. All of us at The Humane Society of the United States are most grateful to you and honored to work alongside you. You deserve our sincere gratitude.

Thank you for a job very well done.

Scott Wilson, Senior Director of Emergency Services

February 3, 2009

Saddleback Canyon Riders

On behalf of Equestrian Trails 357, our Mounted Assistance Unit, and our Emergency Response Team, we would like to thank you for attending our annual Equine Evacuation Drill on February 28th, 2009…your presence was greatly appreciated.

Without successful drills and practice, we would not be able to offer effective assistance during an evacuation or large scope emergency.

Our focus is to provide a cohesive and organized staging, evacuation, sheltering, and reunification process and give peace of mind to the equine community here in the canyons. The drills identify the strengths and weaknesses of the plan so we know what we must work on. This year we identified the need to improve the check-in and identification component of the evacuation plan. We have already met and discussed some ideas to target this issue so precious time is not lost in the paperwork process.

We appreciate all the positive feedback we have received and the goal of our team is to continue to improve and meet the challenge. We will continue to improve our plan and offer education to the community on preparedness as it becomes available.

Thank you once again.

Debbie Kelly, Coordinator

ETI/357 Emergency Response Team

March 15, 2009

The Humane Society of the United States

On behalf of the Vice President for Disaster and Field Services and all of us at The Humane Society of the United States, we would like to express our thanks and gratitude for your indispensable support during the California wildfire deployment.

Without the efforts of our volunteers, we would not have been able to provide the magnitude of care needed to help these animals. Your caring, compassion and hard work were invaluable: We are proud to have you a part of our team and thankful to have such strong, loyal and determined individuals donating their time and effort…our thanks and appreciation for the vital role you played on The HSUS team.

Jeff Eyre

Director of Field Operations

December 10, 2007

The Humane Society of the United States

As we approach the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we here at the Humane Society of the United States want to thank you for your contributions over the past year. Your efforts are appreciated and helped to provide relief to animals and their human companions so adversely affected by the devastating storm.

The 2005 hurricane season raised awareness in every community of the importance of protecting animals from disasters. Although the loss and heartbreak of the storm will never be forgotten, neither should we forget the efforts we all made to respond to the disaster and the positive community and legislative efforts that resulted!

As many other organizations and individuals have been doing over the last 12 months, The Humane Society of the United States has been working both to assist in recovery from the past and to provide resources to make the future of animals in disasters a much brighter one.

By working together in the future, we will continue to make a difference in the lives of animals that look to us for their care, protection and rescue.

Please accept our appreciation for your participation in the largest animal rescue effort in history, and our gratitude for your service!

Randall B. Covey

Director of Disaster Services

August 12, 2006

City of Torrance Police Department

On behalf of the City of Torrance, I want to thank you for your participation in the City of Torrance’s disaster exercise: Operation Unified Response. This was the first of many exercises planned by the City to increase our preparedness efforts. I delayed the mailing of this letter of appreciation until the completion of staff’s after-action meetings in order to share with you some of the lessons learned from the exercise

Representatives from each of the first responder agencies all commended the volunteers and their ability to add necessary realism to the exercise. During disaster drills, nothing compares to real-life interaction with people expressing concerns, emotions and worries. Your participation in the exercise allowed our first responders to put into practice many of their previously learned tools.

Through exercises like this one, we hope to increase our ability to provide accurate and timely information to not only to our decision makers and first responders, but to the community. Lastly, as a result of the exercise, the City discovered some limitations of the current Emergency Operation Center. Staff is currently working to expand working areas and ensure that everyone has the necessary space and equipment to effectively perform their duties.

Once again, thank you for your time, energy and participation in Operation Unified Response. We hope that you enjoyed participating in our disaster exercise and that you took away from the event some lessons learned. In addition, we hope that you will consider volunteering again in the future as additional training opportunities become available. The City views each exercise as an opportunity to learn. Should a disaster occur, we will be able to save lives, protect property, and recover from the incident in the most efficient and effective manner as possible.

Andrew G. Pachon

Emergency Services Coordinator

January 30, 2006