Our mission at Florida Equine Disaster Response is to support the equine community in times of disaster by increasing disaster preparedness awareness, providing evacuation assistance, distributing critical supplies, and working with our government and community to provide recovery relief following a disaster. By lessening the burden on government agencies, we aim to prevent the suffering of horses and humans in the state of Florida. We provide education and training opportunities to both civilians and first responders, to make a difference during times of need for the equine community. With over 385,000 horses and a $11.7 billion annual economic impact in Florida, our mission is critical. We have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian in South Florida, and are committed to making a lasting impact long into the future.
- Lessening the burdens of Government.
- Preventing suffering of equine livestock during times of disaster.
- Provide education / training opportunities to civilian and first responders.
- Make a difference during times of need for the equine community.
- The Florida horse industry, including industry suppliers, generates an annual $6.8 billion economic impact on the gross domestic product of Florida. Total employment figures add up to 244,200 jobs.
- With a population of over 385,000 horses, Florida ranks as the third largest equine state in the United States. Horse ownership, equine associations and profit-making organizations, plus tourism spending by riders and spectators, combine for a $11.7 billion annual economic impact.
- The Ocala Breeders Sales ALONE recorded over $1 billion in Thoroughbred horse sales from 2010 to 2018.
- Over 70,000 acres of land in Florida is used for horse-related purposes.
- We are just starting our official Non Profit operations after the devastation witnessed from Hurricane Ian in South Florida. I am a Firefighter/Paramedic and professional horse trainer, during the storm I spent many hours and coordinating over $80k dollars worth of relief efforts to the area to those in dire need. There are currently very few recourses to assist the equine industry in Florida ($11.7 billion annual economic impact). Obtaining funding is proving to be a long slow process but feel like our mission will make a lasting impact long into the future.
Hi, my name is Barry Spinweber Jr and I’m the Founder of “FLORIDA EQUINE DISASTER RESPONSE”, a non-profit organization created to help horses during natural disasters. As a Florida native, horse trainer and professional Firefighter/Paramedic, I witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian and received multiple personal requests for assistance from those in the Equine Community. Unfortunately, emergency services were overwhelmed with human search and rescue efforts, leaving the needs of the Equine Community lower on the priority dispatching Call log. That’s why we established a “Forward Distribution Point” in South Sarasota County and Fort Myers, with the blessing of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to collect donations and distribute much needed supplies to those in need. Since then, we have been providing relief and support to the Equine Community during natural disasters, and we believe that we can make a big difference in their lives. Thank you for listening, and we hope you will consider supporting our cause.
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