Strengthening Response Through Partnership: Lollypop Farm Begins EASApp® Training
When disaster strikes, preparation is everything—and it starts long before an emergency ever happens.
That preparation took a meaningful step forward as DARTCC’s Founder, Deb Shelby led a hands-on training session with Joanna and Vicky from Lollypop Farm, introducing them to the Deployment data system within the Emergency Animal Shelter App (EASApp®).
The session wasn’t just a walkthrough, it was the beginning of a deeper partnership focused on building readiness, strengthening coordination, and supporting the people who show up for animals when it matters most.
From Dashboard to Deployment
During the session, Joanna and Vicky explored the full scope of EASApp®, from navigating the dashboard to building out real-world deployment scenarios.
Together, they walked through:
- Setting up team members and managing access
- Creating shelters and defining deployment types
- Tracking time for both training and real-world response
- Organizing shelter layouts, agreements, and operational details
For Vicky, Director of Animal Placement, the time tracking and reporting features immediately stood out, not just as operational tools, but as a way to better document impact and support future grant applications.
Building for Real-World Response
What made this session particularly valuable was the connection between the technology and lived experience.
The conversation reflected on past emergency responses, from large-scale disasters like Hurricane Sandy to regional storm events, highlighting both the dedication of response teams and the challenges of engaging communities and sustaining volunteer participation.
These experiences are exactly what EASApp® is designed to address.
By enabling ongoing training, scenario planning, and consistent team engagement, the platform helps transform response from a reactive effort into a sustained, prepared system.
Looking Ahead: From Training to Implementation
The next step is already in motion.
At Lollypop Farm’s upcoming team meeting in May, team members will begin registering in the system, building their profiles, and starting to track training time and activities. Deb will join the session to support onboarding and introduce new features scheduled for release in early May.
These upcoming enhancements will expand customization options, allowing teams to define deployment types, roles, and system configurations that reflect their real-world operations.
In parallel, DARTCC is continuing to refine the platform based on user feedback, including interface improvements and updated training resources to ensure teams can quickly adopt and scale their use of the system.
A Shared Commitment
This collaboration reflects something bigger than a single training session.
It’s about building a network of prepared, connected teams who can respond more effectively together.
As Lollypop Farm continues to integrate EASApp® into their operations, they are helping shape a system designed not just for one organization, but for response teams across the country.
Because when the moment comes, preparation is what makes response possible.