Assessments

ZDR3 assists zoological facilities after disasters by conducting remote and/or onsite assessments that help leadership: 

• prioritize staff and animal safety 

• identify and mitigate hazards

• specify needed resources

• initiate recovery actions

These assessments are an essential first step in stabilizing operations while protecting personnel and animals from ongoing threats.

Risk Assessment and Safety Analysis

ZDR3 is committed to Human Safety. 

ZDR3 works with leadership to identify potential risks onsite and provides possible areas for consideration regarding mitigation. Risks considered include those to personnel and animals, such as:

• Human 

• Animal

• Facility

It is the responsibility of the impacted institution to conduct its own facility risk assessment and to have a [medical plan] in place for its personnel. ZDR3 can assist facilities as they work through these assessments, either on the ground or remotely.

ZDR3 Network Response Teams abide by a Code of Conduct, their institutional policies and procedures, the policies and procedures of the impacted institution, and may be provided additional information by ZDR3 for situational awareness.

Needs Assessment

Needs assessments are essential for identifying required materials, equipment, staffing, or external assistance necessary to restore safe operations. This evaluation informs resource requests and helps the facility leadership plan for both short‑term stabilization and long‑term recovery. ZDR3 assists facilities with this process, remotely or on-the-ground, and can often provide support in next steps for resource procurement.