Assessment, Compliance and Corrective Action:

Application to Catastrophic Incident Planning and Response—Katrina

Speaker: Omar K Helferich, Ph.D.; MS Civil Environmental Eng.

Lead Researcher; DHS, GSC Mobile Solutions

Level of Knowledge: Basic

Short Abstract:

This session will provide an overview of supply chain food security initiatives. In addition, the session will provide a brief summary of food supply chain challenges and potential practical solutions based on the presenter’s direct field experience at international incidents (Oklahoma Bombing and the World Trade Center), as well as recent field experience in a senior logistics position in support of the food supply chain for hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. This recent disaster has most of the attributes of a catastrophic disaster; largest recorded disaster requirement for massive evacuation, mass casualties, requirements for Federal assistance including DOD support, and potential major health issues following the disaster due to contamination. An understanding of these disaster challenges should provide significant insight into the NCFPD research mitigation and response solutions for future catastrophic incidents.

Long Abstract:

EH Departments are looking for methods to balance efficiency and effectiveness with protection and resiliency. Supply, quality, and public health security leaders are looking for methods to protect product brands and public health through improved processes, infrastructure, and partner security and reliability. A university coalition sponsored by DHS National Center for Food Protection and Defense has the mission to enhance the security of our National Food supply.

This session will provide an overview of supply chain food security initiatives. It will provide a summary of food supply chain challenges and potential solutions based on direct field experience at international incidents (Oklahoma, World Trade Center), and recent field experience in support of the food supply chain for Katrina. Katrina has most of the attributes of a catastrophic disaster; largest recorded disaster requirement for massive evacuation, mass casualties, requirements for Federal assistance including DOD support, and potential major health issues following the disaster due to contamination. An understanding of these disaster challenges should provide significant insight into the NCFPD research mitigation and response solutions for future catastrophic incidents.

Three initiatives related to the national food supply chain security being conducted jointly by University of Minnesota, Michigan State University and Georgia Tech with commercial partnerships are: 1. benchmarking security and protection initiatives to provide insight and models to define supply chain best practices, 2. review and development of supply and environmental health noncompliance assessment and performance standards, and 3. use of advanced technology for supply chain security noncompliance assessment and generation of appropriate incident Corrective Action Response (CARs) for Critical Control Points (CCPs) within the supply chain. The latter two initiatives are being lead by GSC Mobile Solutions.

Learning Objectives:

1. Better relate the commonalities between recovery from natural and planned disasters (based upon on-the-ground experience;
2. Relate local response to food-specific acts of bioterrorism and the required response and cooperation across the entire food supply chain;
3. More clearly understand the relationships between routine inspections, dealing with abnormalities and incidents (events).