CENTRAL POINT — In a long, thin room lined with cinder blocks rest about 40 plastic containers that Dogs for the Deaf workers consider simply too good to throw out, but not good enough to use.

It's the Crate Room, where portable kennels used to ship rescued dogs here for training are kept because, well, workers never know when they might need one.

"Two dogs were shipped in from Texas, so we just added the crates to our collection, for an emergency," Dogs for the Deaf President Robin Dickson says. "What should we do? Throw them out?"

A better idea: Put them on a list of resources that emergency officials can use to rescue pets during a fire or flood in Jackson County.

It's hidden finds like these that will be at the heart of a planned effort by Oregon residents to decide how to keep pets out of harm's way during future disasters.

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Oregon is one of several states now mulling whether to require state and county emergency plans that provide evacuation, transportation and temporary shelter for companion animals, service animals such as hearing dogs and livestock during major disasters.

Haunted by horrific images of Hurricane Katrina victims either leaving behind their pets or refusing to evacuate without them, emergency-management leaders want to coordinate willing shelters, kennels and rescue groups to help evacuation needs should a flood or wildfire hit here.

That means finding those hidden resources — such as Dogs for the Deaf's extra crates — and setting up protocols for how they can be put to use immediately should the need arise.

Short-term kennel space, rescuers, food and water sources, pet-tracking and transportation are just some of the issues to be addressed.

"The idea is to identify those participants beforehand so you know what to do when something happens," says Mike Curry, Jackson County's emergency program manager. "Everybody has pets. No one wants to lose them. So we need to find a place for them to go.

"You hate to be the boy who cries wolf," he says. "But without adequate planning, a disaster comes and you're at square one."

The Oregon Legislature this week began taking testimony on Senate Bill 570, Oregon's response to a new federal law mandating such plans.

If some version of the bill passes, it likely will set guidelines for county emergency-management directors to craft local plans, Curry says.

Jackson County currently has a plan for evacuating livestock for temporary housing at the Jackson County Expo, but nothing for dealing with pets or other small animals, Curry says.

The possibilities excite Ann Wilton, whose nonprofit group Companion Animal Rescue and Education formed recently to rescue primarily unwanted cats and find temporary homes for them.

"I could see that being quite valuable," says Wilton, of Ashland. "But there's a lot of logistics to work out. It would be great if all the groups could work together."

Animal evacuations occasionally have confounded wildland firefighters here, especially during fires when there is little time to spare.

Firefighters need someone else to coordinate animal evacuations, says Dan Thorpe, district forester for the Oregon Department of Forestry and veteran wildland firefighter.

"Firefighters are responsible to deal with the fire, and that's what people expect of us," Thorpe says. "Spinning our wheels on these side issues isn't a good use of our time."

Thorpe says he believes the plan also should address hobby livestock, not just dogs and cats.

"People can tuck Fido under their arm or put it in the back seat," Thorpe says. "But how do you deal with an emu or a llama?"

Dickson says the concept is sound, but she warns that it takes more than a kind heart and a kennel crate to rescue pets safely — for the animals and the rescuers.

"Even the best dog, under stress, can be dangerous," Dickson says. "I think it's a great idea, but we have to be careful."

Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail mfreeman@mailtribune.com.