NEHA Hurricane Response Guide

Hurricane Response Guide for Environmental Public Health Professionals

Pro Tips Must Know Food Safety Basics Clean and Sanitize: Wash hands and surfaces often. Sanitize food contact surfaces. Separate: Do not cross-contaminate. Cook: Cook to proper temperatures, checking with a food thermometer. Chill: Refrigerate promptly. Mandatory Reportable Illnesses Food workers are required to report any of the following diagnoses to the person in charge. Some of these diseases, such as norovirus, may not be required to be reported to the health department or included in the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS). Additional symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, etc., must also be reported to the person in charge and the food worker displaying the symptoms must be sent home. Workers cannot work while they are sick.

Send

Salmonella*

Sick

Shigella

Employees

E. coli

Home

Hepatitis A

Now Norovirus * Nontyphoidal Salmonella and Typhoid Fever ( Salmonella Typhi ) When Potable Water is Not Available

Discontinue: Discontinue service until an alternative water supply is approved. Disconnect: Disconnect ice and beverage systems from the water supply. Limit: Limit menu and use only single-service utensils. Dishwasher Unavailable: Fill a 3-compartment sink with boiled water for ware washing. Boiling water can remove bacteria but will have minimal impact on chemical contamination. Stations: Set up hand washing stations. Reopening After Water Supply Issues Flush water lines, water heaters, and other reservoirs for at least 5 minutes. Clean ice machine, bins, and other equipment connected to the water system, including all filters and strainers in equipment and water lines. Discard the first hour of production of replacement ice (2–3 bins) and at least the first 5 minutes of the beverage. Reopening after Sewage Backup or Flood Suspend food and beverage service until reopened by regulatory authority. Remove standing floodwater and sewage. Remove and discard affected food, single-service, and uncleanable surfaces. Thoroughly air-dry area to remove residual moisture. Clean affected hard surfaces with hot detergent solution then rinse and disinfect/sanitize. Use a qualified service person to inspect equipment before reconnecting utilities.

Replace all damaged food, single-service, and other supplies. Replace all damaged physical facilities with approved materials.

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