ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JANUARY 10, 2003

VETERINARY CORPS TRAINS FOR POTENTIAL
BIOLOGICAL CRISIS

BISMARCK – Twenty-one North Dakota veterinarians have volunteered to be on the front lines in case of a major foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak or an incident of bioterrorism involving livestock.

“The Reserve Veterinary Corps have been contracted by the State Board of Animal Health to provide surveillance for foreign animal diseases and bioterrorist events,” said Dr. Larry Schuler, state veterinarian. “In the case of such an event, these practitioners would be assigned as field operators.”

(EDITORS: A list of the Veterinary Corps members is included below the press release.)

The veterinarians recently completed a three-day training course covering emergency management, foreign animal diseases, personal protective equipment and laboratory procedures.

Among the presenters was Dr. Tom McKenna, director of the national Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Plum Island, N.Y., the nation’s primary facility for dealing with major animal diseases, such as foot and mouth disease. Other presenters included staff from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, North Dakota State University, North Dakota Emergency Management and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Dr. Jon Van Berkom, assistant state veterinarian, who directed the training program, said that in addition to the special training, each veterinarian was supplied with a laptop computer, global positioning system device and digital camera.

“This equipment will link us all together in case we have a FAD outbreak or bioterrorism incident,” Van Berkom said. “It will also enable members of the team to report fully and in detail from the field.”

Funding for the program is provided by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Dr. Larry Schuler or Dr. Jon Van Berkom at (701) 328-2655.

The North Dakota Reserve Veterinary Corps

George Amsden, Hebron Veterinary Clinic, Hebron
Russel Behm, Minot Veterinary Clinic, Minot
Thomas Bettenhausen, Missouri Valley Veterinary Clinic, Bismarck
Kimberley Brummond, West Dakota Veterinary Clinic, Dickinson
Daniel Burchill, Casselton Veterinary Clinic, Casselton
Greg Carlson, Southwood Veterinary Clinic, Jamestown
Morgan Dallman, Knife River Veterinary Clinic, Beulah
Lee Garbel, Western Veterinary Clinic, Williston
Marshall Hermanson, Northwest Veterinary Service, Powers Lake
Blaine Hopfauf, Interstate Veterinary Clinic, Mandan
Allen Hoverson, Cooperstown Veterinary Clinic, Cooperstown
Nathan Kjelland, Valley City Veterinary Clinic, Valley City
Margo Kunz, New Salem Veterinary Clinic, New Salem
Richard Lagasse, Rugby Veterinary Service, Rugby
Timothy Matz, Dakota Veterinary Hospital, Wahpeton
Kristi Pennington, Dakota Prairie Veterinary Service, New Town
Andrew Peterson, Enderlin Veterinary Clinic, Enderlin
Donald Safratowich, West River Veterinary Clinic, Hettinger
Arlyn Scherbenske, Steele Veterinary Clinic, Steele
Todd Tedrow, Ashley Veterinary Clinic, Ashley
Jesse Vollmer, The Vet Shack, Denbigh

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