During October 2003, each school district Child Nutrition Director will receive a package of the technical assistance materials listed below. This resource package is in addition to the United States Department of Agriculture, draft “A Biosecurity Checklist for School Foodservice Programs: Developing a Biosecurity Management Plan,” distributed at the Child Nutrition Directors Conference held August 2003.
All of these materials may assist districts in meeting the requirements of Arkansas Act 648 passed during the last legislative session. Act 648 requires school districts to develop a plan to provide for the safety of students and employees in the event of a terrorist attack or war.
Child nutrition programs have historically responded to emergencies and crisis situations for feeding victims of tornados, floods, etc. These tools are not only to assist schools with emergencies, but are to assist the administration in protection of school food supplies for prevention and response to possible terrorism acts.
The National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI), through a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), has developed a set of resources to assist school foodservice directors and managers in writing an emergency readiness plan. This package contains the following materials:
"Emergency Readiness Plan: A Guide for the School Foodservice Operation", a tool that provides recommendations for developing an emergency readiness plan, assessing the situation when a disruption occurs, and providing a designated relief shelter.
"Emergency Readiness Plan: Forms for the School Foodservice Operation", which includes model forms that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the foodservice operation.
CD-ROM, an electronic version of "Emergency Readiness Plan: A guide for the School Foodservice Operation" and "Emergency Readiness Plan: Forms for the School Foodservice Operation".
"When Disaster Strikes" 15-minute training video, which includes interviews with Child Nutrition Professionals depicting real-life experiences in managing an emergency, identifies potential disruptions that may hinder a foodservice operation, and encourages foodservice professionals to develop an emergency readiness plan.
Additional copies of this resource package can be purchased from NFSMI. The print resources are also available on the NFSMI Web site at http://222.nfsmi.org/Information/e-readiness.html. For additional information or to ask questions regarding the educational materials provided, contact NFSMI.
For questions regarding the materials that are being mailed to the districts, contact the area specialist assigned to the specific district, Barbara Smith, or Wanda Shockey at 501.324.9502. Ongoing support of the program is appreciated.