Established in the wake of 9/11, the High Alert Institute, Inc. became a 501(c)3 not-for-profit charitable organization in 2011. Headquartered in Lake Wales, Florida, the High Alert Institute is dedicated to research & education across the disaster lifecycle. With the end of the pandemic, the Institute’s mission is pivoting disaster-readiness for humans to providing this education to animal welfare organizations. The Institute also provides shelter and rescue for freshwater non-native exotic aquatic pets.