Emergency Readiness Resource Materials

The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management
Resources for the Development of Emergency Preparedness
Plans in School Foodservice
Cyndie Story, MEd, RD, CC

Local school foodservice operations are often at the center of emergency response activities, working with local, state, and federal agencies to bring relief to those in need. Today, in the wake of the September 11 and Hurricane Katrina tragedies, it's more important than ever that school foodservice operators create and implement proactive and comprehensive emergency preparedness policies and procedures. Such steps will help school nutrition professionals work with community leaders to develop effective response plans and strategies designed to protect the health and safety of its residents.

Emergency preparedness encompasses a wide range of potential incidents, including natural disasters, intentional acts of violence, food recalls, and food defense (the prevention of the intentional contamination of food, also known as "food security"). Prompt and effective response in the face of such emergencies will require a thorough plan. Without the hindsight benefits of experience in each scenario, how can school nutrition professionals ensure they have covered all the possible bases? The following resource list was developed to assist school nutrition professionals locate materials that address a variety of potential emergencies. These can be used in the development of policies and procedures unique to an individual district or school.

EMERGENCY READINESS RESOURCE MATERIALS

Federal Resources

• Federal Emergency Management Administration

• Food and Nutrition Information Center: Disaster and Food Safety

• Gateway to Government Food Safety Information: Disaster Assistance

• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. (2006). Emergency response plan: Food emergency template.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, National Food Service Management Institute. (2003). Emergency readiness plan: A guide for the school foodservice operation.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service. (2005). Restaurants and grocers reopening after hurricanes and flooding.

• U.S. Department of Education: Emergency Planning

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Emergencies & Disasters

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2006). Disasters and emergencies: Hurricanes.

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2006). Ready.

• U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service. (2004). Fact sheet: Keeping food safe during an emergency.

• U.S. Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education. (2003). Practical information on crisis planning: A guide for schools and communities. Washington, DC: Author.

Journal and Newsletter Articles

• Gryder , S.D. (2006). The long road back to normal. School Foodservice & Nutrition, 60, 18-25.

• Jackson, R. (2006). Personal and organizational preparedness. Health Care Food & Nutrition Focus, 23(1), 1-8.

• Kwortnik, R.J. (2005). Preparing for disaster. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 46(1), 47-51.

• McLaren, P. (2006). When it rains, it pours. School Foodservice & Nutrition, 60, 26-34.

• Kwortnik, R.J. (2005). Safeguarding hospitality service when the unexpected happens. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 46(1), 13-39.

• Puckett, R.P. (2006). Educating foodservice employees on disaster preparedness. Market Link, 25(1), 1-3.

• Stein, K. (2006). Will you be ready to help when disaster hits? Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106, 190-194.

• Stein, K. (2006). When disaster hits: Tales from the frontlines. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106, 346, 348-350.

Websites

• American Red Cross

• American Red Cross: Disaster Preparedness for Seniors by Seniors

• Emergency Preparedness Service

• Escambia Educational Recovery Team (EERT)

• Fairfax County Public Schools Emergency Preparedness and Support

• LifeKit

• Montgomery County Public Schools: Emergency Preparedness

FOOD RECALL RESOURCES GUIDANCE MATERIALS

Federal Resources

• First Gov for Consumers

• General Accounting Office. (2004). Food safety: USDA and FDA need to better ensure prompt and complete recalls of potentially unsafe food.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, National Food Service Management Institute. (2002). Responding to a food recall.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service: FSIS Recalls

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service: Areas of responsibility for food safety and food recalls

Journal Articles

• Golan, E., Krissoff, B., Kuchler, F., Nelson, K., & Price, G. (2004). Traceability in the U.S. food supply: Economic theory and industry studies.

• O’Neal, J.A. (1999). Food safety recalls: There’s a right way. Defense Counsel Journal, 66(3), 424-427.

• Shang, W., & Hooker, N.H. (2005). Improving recall crisis management: Should retailer information be disclosed? Journal of Public Affairs, 5, 329-341.

FOOD DEFENSE RESOURCE GUIDANCE MATERIALS

Federal Resources

• The national plan for research and development in support of critical infrastructure protection.  Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate. (2004).

• Gateway to Government Food Safety Information: Countering Bioterrorism and Other Threats to the Food Supply

• Food processing security General Accounting Office. (2003).

• A biosecurity checklist for school foodservice programs.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. (2004).

• Food Security and Emergency Preparedness U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service

• Industry self- assessment checklist for food security.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. (2005).

• Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-188, § 42, 116 Stat. 595. (2003). 
  U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Risk assessment for food terrorism and other food safety concerns.  U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003).

• Guidance for protecting building environments from airborne chemical, biological, or radiological attacks. Atlanta, GA: Author.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2002).

• Food producers, processors, and transporters: Food security preventive measures guidance. Washington, DC: Author.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (2003).

• Food safety and security: Operational risk management systems approach. Washington, DC: Author.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (2001).

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Ready Business

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition: Food Defense and Terrorism

• Strategic Partnership Program Agroterrorism (SPAA) Initiative: Executive summary.  U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (2005).  Washington, DC: Author.

• Retail food stores and food service establishments: Food security preventive measures guidance.  U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2005).  Washington, DC: Author.

• Practical information on crisis planning: A guide for schools and communities.  U.S. Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education. (2003).  Washington, DC: Author.

• Terrorist threats to food: Guidance for establishing and strengthening prevention and response systems.  World Health Organization. (2002).  Geneva, Switzerland: Author.

Journal Articles and Books

• Bruemmer, B. (2003). Food biosecurity. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 103, 687-691.

• Perry, R.W., & Mankin, L.D. (2005). Preparing for the unthinkable: Managers, terrorism and the HRM function. Public Personnel Management, 34, 175-193.

• Rasco, B.A., & Bledsoe, G.E. (2005). Bioterrorism and food safety. Washington, DC: CRC Press.

• Schneider, H. (2005). Protecting public health in the age of bioterrorism surveillance: Is the price right? Journal of Environmental Health, 68(5), 9-13.

• Stein, B.D., Tanielian, T.L., Vaiana, M.E., Rhodes, H.J., & Burnam, M.A. (2003). The role of schools in meeting community needs during bioterrorism. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science, 1(4), 273-281.

• Zink, D.L. (2004). Agroterrorism: Issues of reality. Journal of Food Science, 69(2), 47-54.

Websites

• AIB International: The AIB guide to food security

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Bioterrorism

• National Food Service Management Institute: Biosecurity Checklist for School Foodservice Programs