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Posted: 2005-09-12

Link to: FDA Hurricane-related Information
and ORAU Resources Page

FOOD EMERGENCY AND SALVAGE INFORMATION

GENERAL GUIDANCE:

  1. FEMA “State and Local Guide 101,” Chapter 5, Attachment G (Health and Medical). Contains a “top down” list of responsibilities for Public Health Officers. Responsibilities include: 1. Inspects for purity and usability all foodstuffs, water, drugs, and other consumables that were exposed to the hazard, and, 2, Monitors food handling and mass feeding sanitation service in emergency facilities, etc.
    http://www.fema.gov/rrr/gaheop.shtm
  2. Pan American Health Organization, Has several pages on Disasters and Humanitarian Assistance. Also the guide “Environmental Health Management after Natural Disasters.” Contains broad overview of how disasters affect food, water, waste systems and includes measures to take during response activities.
    http://www.paho.org/ They have a list of publications with links here: http://www.paho.org/English/PED/otherpublications.htm
  3. USDA, “A Citizen's Guide to Food Recovery” is a resource guide for people--both public officials and private citizens--interested in how to operate food recovery programs. It describes major food recovery activities already taking place and suggests how people can support existing programs or start new ones. It outlines key considerations relating to legal issues and food safety.
    http://www.usda.gov/news/pubs/gleaning/content.htm
  4. NACCHO, “Elements of Effective Bioterrorism Preparedness.” Lists Essential Public Health Services that are necessary during BT events directed towards the local levels.
    http://archive.naccho.org/Documents/FinalEffectiveBioterrism.pdf
  5. CDC “Keeping Food and Water Safe after a Natural Disaster or Power Outage” http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/foodwater.asp Information on what to keep and what to throw out plus tips on storing what is kept. The “Emergency Preparedness and Response” Web Site has Lots of info on a variety of disasters. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ Information specific to Environmental Health can be found on this page:
    http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/ETP/default.htm
  6. “Health Library for Disasters” Several excellent references for Disaster Mitigation and response including titles that are specific to Environmental Health, Food and Water.
    http://www.helid.desastres.net/cgi-bin/gw?e=p0t11home-who-1-C.1-5000-50-000-e&q=&org=&lb=&bb=&a=b&d=C.1.1

SPECIFIC (HOW TO) GUIDANCE:

  1. CA Assn. of EH Administrators, “Disaster Field Manual.“ Contains concise guidance regarding mass feeding and food salvage. http://www.ceha.org/
  2. USAID, “Field Operations Guide.” Discusses nutrition, mass feeding, and sanitation considerations. Lot of info regarding assessments and logistical issues. http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/resources/pdf/fog_v3.pdf
  3. U.S. Army, TB MED 530, “Occupational and Environmental Health Food Sanitation.” Contains a section on field food service operations. http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/documents/TBMEDS/tbmed530.pdf
  4. U.S. Army, “Guide to the Salvage of Chilled/Frozen Foods Exposed to Refrigeration Failure.” http://wwwsam.brooks.af.mil/eh/
  5. Association of Food and Drug Officials “Model Consumer Commodity Salvage Code.” Deals with what to do with the “bad food.” Cost $5.00 each ($4.00 if buy 10 or more copies). Available at: http://www.afdo.org/afdo/publication/index.cfm
  6. Conference for Food Protection “Comprehensive Guidelines for Food Recovery Programs.” Deals with what to do with the “good food.” http://www.foodprotect.org/pdf/foodRecovery.pdf

OTHER USEFUL REFERENCES:

  1. CDC “Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illnesses” Targeted to physicians. Provides practical and concise information on the diagnosis, treatment, and reporting of foodborne illnesses http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5304a1.htm
  2. Foodborne Illness - CDC, Public Health Training Network, some on line, http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn/casestudies/computerbased/default.htm
  3. USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information Center http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne
  4. RODS (Realtime Outbreak & Disease Surveillance) is http://www.health.pitt.edu/rods/default.htm
  5. The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has a detailed listing of resources for disaster food handling at website http://www.fmi.org/foodsafety/disaster.htm. These resources allow the retail industry to prepare for and recover from a wide variety of disasters (natural or man-made) and to communicate with their customers on preparation for adverse situations.
  6. Repairing Your Flooded Home: http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_570_,00.html
  7. Sphere Standards for Humanitarian Response. Defines a common sheet of music for many nongovernmental organizations (NGO) to play from See the website at http://www.sphereproject.org .
  8. Madison Department of Public Health (WI) (developed with a FDA Innovative Food Safety Grant). Training developed to be delivered on site to the industry by industry. English & Spanish http://www.safefoodcrew.org/
  9. TRAIN (all types of public health training courses, different mediums, free & for a fee) https://www.train.org/DesktopShell.aspx
  10. USAF Food Safety - http://wwwsam.brooks.af.mil/eh/html/food.htm
  11. Posters In 13 languages: http://www.profoodsafety.org/

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This is a “WORKING DRAFT” of a document containing a List of References for Food Sanitation in Response to Disaster. Mr. Fear noted that he welcomes any comments or suggestions to improve this DRAFT resource (James.Fear@fda.gov). Eventually, he hopes to have the document posted on the web. Thanks go to LT. Larry Sproul, USN (presently on detail to the Div. of Human Resource Development for putting the document together so quickly.
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