Food Wherever food is served to the public or respond - ers, food safety is a concern. Environmental public health professionals play a critical role in ensuring that foodborne outbreaks will not occur or, if they do occur, are quickly and effectively investigated and measures are put in place to prevent reoccur - rence. This might entail: • spot inspections or assessments • complaint investigations • other monitoring means Standard foodborne illness protocols should be employed when outbreaks occur. Health Risks Food pathogens are one source of potential food borne illness. Primary interventions include appli - cation of safe food practices, implementation of employee health policies, controlling hands as a vehicle of contamination, and time/temperature parameters for controlling pathogens. Environmen- tal public health staff should be watchful for other ways food may become contaminated including with chemicals. Food contamination may occur following a wildfire due to smoke and ash-exposed foods or produce in fields. Many food safety messages for areas impacted by power outages have already been developed. Two examples can be found in the Mes - saging links below. Donated foods Following a wildfire, mass care facilities or base camps can be overwhelmed by good intentioned people who want to help by providing, among other things, food donations for displaced individuals, workers, and responders. All prepared foods and food that must be kept cold, frozen, or hot should be strongly discouraged. The potential for food borne illnesses can be significant if proper controls are not part of the preparation or storage of such pre - pared foods. Messaging should be developed for what will be accepted as a donation. These might include boxed or bagged food, canned food, bottled or canned drinks, water or juices, and dried packaged foods.
Food Facilities It may become necessary to close regulated food facilities. Consider modifications to operations that will serve a public need as long as certain basic conditions are met. Some of the reasons for closure might include: • Building/electrical safety • Utility outage • Lack of or unsafe water • Waste disposal • Unsafe food supply • Vectors and/or pests • Necessary cleanup Sample Messaging • Boulder County Public Health Food Safety After a Fire • CDC Social Media Graphics Safe Food After a Disaster • Minnesota Advance Practice Centers Emergency Readiness for Food Workers • USDA Emergency Response Pocket Guide-Food Safety • Boulder Co PH Electrical Outage Checklist • Boulder Co PH Food Safety Factsheet • Boulder Co PH Food Safety After a Fire Factsheet • Boulder Co PH Boil Water Advisory Guidance for Restaurants, Bars & Other Food Retailers • Sonoma County Post-Fire Food Safety Webinar
October 2019, UC et al . • Food borne pathogens
Sample messaging can be downloaded at: bit.ly/ wildfire-guide .
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