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Hurricane Ian & The Institute

High Alert Institute

Unexpected Solutions for the Unexpected

 

 

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Our Vision

The High Alert Institute, Inc. envisions a world where all people, families, communities, businesses and organizations are disaster ready.

Our Mission

The High Alert Institute helps those not served by municipal, local, county, state, regional or federal programs/agencies to be Disaster Ready.

Our Promise

We will support, promote and when possible, provide:
  • Disaster Education, Planning, and Preparedness for animal owners, animal caretakers, animal shelters, and animal welfare organizations.
  • Disaster Response and Recovery for animal owners, animal caretakers, animal shelters, and animal welfare organizations.
  • Disaster Rescue, Domestic Violence Respite, and Voluntary Surrender for freshwater non-native exotic and ornamental aquatic pets.
  • Shelter for rescued and surrendered freshwater non-native exotic and ornamental aquatic pets.
  • Coordination and Mutual Aid between freshwater non-native exotic and ornamental aquatic pet rescues and shelters in North America.
  • Access to free disaster-related education and resources.
  • Support to researchers and developers working in healthcare, behavioral health, artificial intelligence, and disaster sciences.
  • Awareness, education, and resources to support resilience and recovery of people, pets, and the planet in the wake of disasters.
  • Disaster Behavioral Health education for persons responding to agricultural or animal care and welfare disasters, including the communities that they serve.
We will advance:
  • Alignment of Emergency Management and Disaster-Readiness guidance to match best practices in animal care, rescue, conservation, and welfare.
  • Technology to increase sustainability and resilience for homes, small businesses, agriculture, and animal care and welfare, using off-the-shelf components.
  • Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Practices and integrate these as values into our organizational culture.
  • Awareness of Determinants of Health and the impact on people, pets, and the planet within a one nature/one health paradigm.

What we do

DISASTER EDUCATION & READINESS

Bridging Preparedness Education for Humans and Animals

DISASTER EDUCATION & READINESS
Our goal is to share our two decades of disaster readiness experience with animal welfare organizations, caretakers, and pet owners, as they implement contingency plans for natural and manmade disasters.

FREE RESOURCES

FREE COURSES

AQUATIC PET RESCUE & SHELTER

Caring for Our Finned Friends

AQUATIC PET RESCUE & SHELTER

When disaster strikes, most aquatic pet owners have limited options to secure the safety of their pets. Sheltering in place may not be possible if there is no power to provide aeration and “pet-friendly” shelters do not include ponds or aquariums. Our goal is to provide an option for aquatic pet owners in need of rescue and shelter for their finned friends.

SAVE A PET

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP & GREEN TECHNOLOGY

Protecting Nature Through Innovation

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP & GREEN TECHNOLOGY

Reducing the number of non-native aquatic animals dumped into public waterways is the main focus of our environmental stewardship and protection efforts. The High Alert Institute also assists the development of green and renewable energy technologies. Reducing the carbon footprint of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery mitigates risk while improving resilience.

SEE PROJECTS

MUTUAL AID & COOPERATION

Partnering for the Benefits of Humans and The Animals in Their Care

MUTUAL AID & COOPERATION

We partner with public and private organizations, sharing resources and fostering partnerships to improve disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.

BECOME A PARTNER

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SUPPORT

Sharing the Scientific Truth and Experience

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SUPPORT

The High Alert Institute team has over a century of combined research experience in medical, nursing, behavioral health, and disaster sciences. Our team provides support to researchers and technology developers through comprehensive literature and failure mode database searches and reviews.

REQUEST RESEARCH SUPPORT

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS of HEALTH (SDoH)

Raising Awareness of Environmental Health Factors for Humans and Animals

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS of HEALTH (SDoH)

Non-medical factors that impact overall health, like noise pollution, poor air quality, and poor water quality are termed Social Determinants of Health or SDoH. And these SDoH factors that strongly impact humans also impact their pets and other animals in their care. The High Alert Institute assists in advocacy, education, and technology development to mitigate the impact of SDoH on humans and animals alike.

STAY SDoH INFORMED

DISASTER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

Promoting Mental and Emotional Resilience

Disasters disrupt life and impact our sense of personal, family, and community safety. Survivors and responders alike often are not aware of the emotional, psychological or spiritual challenges that they may face from disaster onset through recovery. With two decades of experience training responders and communities to prepare for the behavioral health aspects of disasters, we will continue to provide education and a curated list of resources.

GET HELP NOW

THE JOY OF KOI

Healing Through Koi Therapy

THE JOY OF KOI

The therapeutic value of pets during illness, trauma, and recovery is well established. Koi fish are well suited for people unable to provide verbal pet commands or physically care for dogs or cats. Koi ponds also provide a beautiful setting for peaceful reflection. The High Alert Institute and its partners offer free or reduced-cost Koi ponds stocked with rehomed Koi fish to support this type of pet therapy.

REQUEST A JOY KOI POND

WHAT YOU CAN DO

DONATE NOW

PATENTS & INNOVATIONS FOR GOOD

Never Let a Good Idea Go to Waste

PATENTS & INNOVATIONS FOR GOOD

Intellectual Property (IP) just sitting on a shelf loses value as it becomes obsolete. The High Alert Institute IP Donation Program seeks to rescue stranded, technology-related IP with the potential for commercialization. Once accepted by the program, the IP owner/inventor is eligible for a tax deduction. Businesses that pay the Institute for the use of the IP advance their own innovations while supporting our mission.

DONATE IP

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR GOOD

Make a Difference with Your Eye for Nature

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR GOOD

Professional photographers, amateurs, and legal copyright holders are all welcome to participate in the High Alert Institute Nature Photo Donation Program. Sales of the images benefit the Institute. Donors are eligible for tax deductions equivalent to the fair market value of their photos. All nature themed photos, whether new or vintage images, may be donated. People may be included in the photo but only if unidentifiable (i.e., blurred figures at a distance).

DONATE PHOTOS

BECOME A JOY OF KOI SPONSOR

Give the Gift of Recovery

BECOME A JOY OF KOI SPONSOR

Make your donation twice as nice by rehoming aquatic pets and providing a rehabilitation companion pet to a deserving person, family, or facility. Sponsor part or all of a Joy of Koi Program pond installation – complete with rehomed koi - and give the gifts of love and recovery.

GIVE JOY NOW

SPONSOR KOI

Enjoy Koi Without a Pond

SPONSOR KOI

Have you always wanted a Koi pond but don’t have the space one? Sponsor a Koi in our community shelter pond and we send you photos of your sponsored animal. Coming soon are live Koi Cameras above and below the water to enjoy your sponsored Koi anytime.

SPONSOR KOI

ADOPT A KOI

Open Your Home & Heart to a Finned Family Member

ADOPT A KOI

Koi need forever homes, too! For pond enthusiasts, freshwater exotic and ornamental fish are more family members. The High Alert Institute Aquatic Pet Shelter Rehoming Program is thrilled to assist you in stocking your new pond or adding a new finned friend to your school. Coming soon, deliver your new finned friend anywhere in the continental United States.

ADOPT A KOI

VOLUNTEER

Apply Your Talents to One or More Institute Program

VOLUNTEER

From the staffing pool to the shelter ponds, from the boardroom to the classroom, and from reading the science to writing the analyses, High Alert Institute programs and services benefit from the experience, expertise, and generosity of our volunteers. Put your talents to use for good and to good use - VOLUNTEER TODAY.

VOLUNTEER TODAY

PARTNER WITH THE INSTITUTE

We Are All More Resilient Together

PARTNER WITH THE INSTITUTE

Dumping pets into wild habitats is a man-made disaster that is truly preventable. The Institute’s Aquatic Pet Welfare Partnership works to raise awareness and reduce the impact on healthy ecosystems through education, as well as rescue and rehoming. Joined by champions of animal welfare and environmental stewardship, aquatic pet rescues and shelters across the United States aim to save our finned friends and preserve our waterways.

PARTNER WITH US

BE A FUNDRAISER

Show Us How Fundraising Is Done

BE A FUNDRAISER

Want to share our cause with family, friends, and colleagues? Looking for a non-traditional way to celebrate a birthday or honor someone special? Support the Institute by starting your own Peer-to-Peer fundraising challenge! Let your contacts know why our mission is important to you and what they can do to support your cause. START YOUR OWN FUNDRAISER for the High Alert Institute.

START YOUR FUNDRAISER

USE INSTITUTE STOCK IMAGES

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words and 3 Bits to the Institute

USE INSTITUTE STOCK IMAGES

The High Alert Institute has partnered with Shutterstock to distribute stock images from the nature images donated by our supporters. For eligible stock images, Shutterstock will donate a portion of the royalty to the High Alert Institute. There is no cost to charitable organizations or to Shutterstock customers.

VIEW OUR PHOTOS

SHOPPING FOR GOOD

Do Good While Shopping Online

SHOPPING FOR GOOD

For eligible purchases through AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the High Alert Institute. There is no cost to charitable organizations or to AmazonSmile customers. All you need to do is push the SMILE NOW button and select to support THE HIGH ALERT INSTITUTE on AmazonSmile.

SMILE NOW

PLEDGE TO THE INSTITUTE

Give a Recurring Gift

PLEDGE TO THE INSTITUTE

For less than a dollar a day, you can feed the Koi in the shelter, keep free disaster and contingency planning education available for animal care professionals or help give the Joy of Koi to a neurologically injured individual.

PLEDGE NOW

THE LEGACY OF A LASTING GIFT

If You Can’t Take It With You, Have It Do Good

THE LEGACY OF A LASTING GIFT

Create a legacy that will save lives. Plan your will or living trust today. Help Where Needed Most. Giving as much as you want to charity during your lifetime and after you're gone may help to reduce federal estate and gift taxes significantly. Gifts made to charities, specifically, are exempt from estate and inheritance taxes. You, your heirs, and/or your estate may be eligible for additional tax benefits.

LEAVE A LEGACY
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*We do NOT share your information with any other sites or organizations.

High Alert Institute

4800 Ben Hill Trail
Lake Wales, FL 33898
Office: 863.696.8090
FAX: 407.434.0804

Info@HighAlertInstitute.org
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A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-435-7352 (800-HELP-FLA), OR VISITING www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Florida Registration #CH68959

REGISTRATION WITH A STATE AGENCY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THAT STATE.

Griffin Works offers Pawsitive Interactions with Service Dogs During Response Operations©, an audience-customized training that breaks down barriers by offering hands-on handling training and demonstrations with working service dogs for fire departments, EMS agencies, and public safety organizations.

Part of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium and home to the National Emergency Response and Recovery Training Center, TEEX has been leading homeland security training since 1998. The major TEEX programs include fire and rescue, infrastructure and safety, law enforcement, economic and workforce development, and homeland security. As a member of The Texas A&M University System, TEEX is unique in its ability to access a broad range of emerging research and technical expertise. Beginning with course design and development all the way through hands-on instruction and national certification testing, TEEX delivers comprehensive training through both classroom and hands-on instruction and as online courses.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) was created by Congress in 2000 as part of the Children’s Health Act to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events. This unique network of child-serving professionals, caregivers and young adults, researchers, and national partners is committed to changing the course of children’s lives by improving their care and moving scientific gains quickly into practice across the U.S. The NCTSN is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and coordinated by the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS). 

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The EMI provides national leadership in developing and delivering training to ensure that individuals and groups having key emergency management responsibilities possess the requisite skills to effectively perform their jobs.

The High Alert Institute maintains a list of reviewed courses provided by governments, universities and professional organizations. This list is geared towards the non-emergency management person who participates in disaster planning, preparedness, response, recovery or mitigation as part of their job responsibilities.

The High Alert Institute has partnered with Shutterstock to distribute stock images from the nature images donated by our supporters. For eligible stock images, Shutterstock will donate a portion of the royalty to the High Alert Institute. There is no cost to charitable organizations or to Shutterstock customers.

For eligible purchases through AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the High Alert Institute. There is no cost to charitable organizations or to AmazonSmile customers. All you need to do is push the SMILE NOW button and select to support THE HIGH ALERT INSTITUTE on AmazonSmile.

Koi need forever homes, too! For pond enthusiasts, freshwater exotic and ornamental fish may not be available through pet stores or rescues in their area. The High Alert Institute Aquatic Pet Shelter Rehoming Program will be happy to assist you in stocking your new pond or adding a new finned friend to your school. Coming soon - when you adopt a Koi from the High Alert Institute Aquatic Pet Shelter Rehoming Program, we can arrange for delivery to your door anywhere in the continental United States.

Have you always wanted a Koi pond but don’t have the space one? Sponsor a Koi in our community shelter pond and we send you photos of your sponsored animal. Coming soon are live Koi Cameras above and below the water to enjoy your sponsored Koi anytime.

Dumping of freshwater non-native species and exotic aquatic pets into wild habitats is a man-made disaster that is truly preventable. The Institute’s Aquatic Pet Welfare Partnership works to raise awareness and reduce the impact on healthy ecosystems through education, as well as rescue and rehoming. Joined by champions of animal welfare and environmental stewardship, this  association of aquatic pet rescue operations and aquatic pet shelters across the United States aims to save our finned friends and preserve our waterways together.

Want to share our cause with family, friends, and colleagues? Looking for a non-traditional way to celebrate a birthday or honor someone special? Support the Institute by starting your own Peer-to-Peer fundraising challenge! Let your contacts know why our mission is important to you and what they can do to support your cause. START YOUR OWN FUNDRAISER for the High Alert Institute.

From the staffing pool to the shelter ponds, from the boardroom to the classroom, and from reading the science to writing the analyses, High Alert Institute programs and services benefit from the experience, expertise, and generosity of our volunteers. Put your talents to use for good and to good use - VOLUNTEER TODAY.

Make your donation twice as nice by rehoming aquatic pets and providing a rehabilitation companion pet to a deserving person, family, or facility. Sponsor part or all of a Joy of Koi Program pond installation – complete with rehomed koi - and give the gifts of love and recovery.

Professional photographers, amateurs, and legal copywrite holders are all welcome to participate in the High Alert Institute Nature Photo Donation Program. Sales of the images benefit the Institute and donors are eligible for tax deductions equivalent to the fair market value of their photos. Landscapes, seascapes, animals, flowers – all may be accepted – whether new or vintage  images. People may be included in the photo but only if unidentifiable (i.e., blurred figures at a distance).

Did you know that unused patents and copyrights can be donated to charity? Intellectual Property (IP) just sitting on a shelf will lose value as it becomes obsolete. The High Alert Institute IP Donation Program seeks to rescue stranded, technology-related IP with the potential for development into marketable products. Once accepted by the program, the owner/inventor is eligible for a tax deduction equivalent to the fair market value of the IP. The Institute receives the patent licensing fees or revenue from the sale of the IP to businesses, helping us to fund our mission. In turn, businesses are able to advance their markets and create jobs for less money than starting a project from scratch.

Disasters are defined as situations in which needs exceed or overwhelm available resources. Some disasters affect an entire community, while other disasters impact individuals and families. Crises of physical or psychological health can be very personal disasters.
The therapeutic value of pets during illness, trauma, and recovery is well established. And Koi fish may be well suited for people who are not able to provide verbal pet commands or physically care for pets like dogs and cats. Koi ponds are also a source of beauty and peace, providing an ideal setting for quiet reflection or meditation.
We are working to partner with pond installers and aquatic pet rescues/shelters to offer free or reduced-cost ponds with rehomed Koi fish to people seeking this type of pet therapy.

Disasters disrupt life and impact our sense of personal, family, and community safety. Survivors and responders alike often are not aware of the emotional, psychological or spiritual challenges that they may face from disaster onset through recovery. With two decades of experience training responders and communities to prepare for the behavioral health aspects of disasters, we will continue to provide education and a curated list of resources to groups or individuals.

Non-medical factors that impact overall health are termed Social Determinants of Health or SDoH. Noise pollution, poor air quality, and poor water quality are three environmental factors known to have a strong link to overall health. And the same environmental factors that impact humans impact their pets and other animals in their care. We continue to assist in advocacy, education, and technology development to mitigate the impact of SDoH on humans and animals alike.

Our efforts in shelter and rescue are the main focus of our environmental stewardship, reducing the environmental impact of non-native aquatic animals being dumped into public waterways. The High Alert Institute also assists innovators with the design, development, and evaluation of green and renewable energy technologies. Reducing the carbon footprint associated with disaster preparedness, response, and recovery furthers our continued mission to mitigate risk and improve resilience.

We partner with public and private organizations, sharing resources and fostering partnerships to improve disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, and mitigation.

The High Alert Institute team has over a century of combined research experience in medical, nursing, behavioral health, and disaster sciences. Our team provides support to researchers and technology developers through comprehensive literature searches and reviews, as well as failure mode database searches and adjudicated reviews.

When disaster strikes, most aquatic pet owners have limited options to secure the safety of their pets. Sheltering in place may not be possible if there is no power to provide aeration and “pet-friendly” shelters do not include ponds or aquariums. Our goal is to provide an option for aquatic pet owners in need of rescue and shelter for their finned friends.

Our goal is to share our two decades of disaster readiness experience with animal welfare organizations, shelters, caretakers, and pet owners, as they implement contingency  plans for natural and manmade disasters.