A Search and Rescue dog tracks a scent on the Big Blue River in Edinburgh, Ind., June 4, during the Department of Homeland Security Search and Rescue Conference held at the Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center in central Indiana. June 4, 2010 by Sgt. John Crosby.

This guide was produced by the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) Library to bring together resources about animals in emergency situations. It covers both how to care for your pets and livestock before, during, and after a disaster, and how animals can work in the aftermath of disasters to comfort victims, aid search and rescue, find human remains, and locate signs of arson. These resources include books and audiovisual materials available at the IFSI Library, as well as freely available online material, including articles, websites, books, and videos. The primary audience of this guide is firefighters and emergency responders, but students and members of the public with pets, livestock, or an interest in service animals and training might also find this guide useful.

The Illinois Fire Service Institute Library contains books, codes and standards, DVDs, CDs, periodicals, manuals, e-resources, audiobooks, and other fire emergency resources, totaling over 65,000 items. We serve all first responders in the state of Illinois. Materials can be requested in person, by phone or email, or online through our catalog. You can search our catalog by title, author, keyword, subject, or publisher, and choose the formats you want to see. Enter as few or as many search terms as you would like; the more search terms you use the fewer results you'll get, but the results will be more specific. If you live in Illinois and have a public library card, we can send materials to your public library via interlibrary loan. Anyone is also welcome to visit us in person!

Local Lending (Illinois Residents Only)