Food and Water

EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTION 11

Food and Water

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I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. Purpose

To provide guidance for the emergency use of food and potable water for emergency workers and rescue personnel, and individuals and families displaced from their homes because of an emergency or disaster.

B. Scope

It is beyond the scope of this ESF to plan for all food and potable water needs of the residents of Pierce County affected by an emergency or disaster. It is expected the individuals, families and businesses within the county be prepared for a minimum of 72 hours of total self sufficiency, including food and water.

Every effort will be made to ensure the feeding of emergency workers and rescue personnel.

II. POLICIES

It is the policy of Pierce County that purveyors of potable water are responsible for their own plans to supply their customers with potable water should their systems fail. Citizens are advised to prepare their own emergency water supplies.

III. SITUATION

A. Emergency/Disaster Conditions and Hazards

Refer to the Pierce County Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis.

B. Planning Assumptions

1. The Pierce County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) will work closely with the American Red Cross Tacoma-Pierce County Chapter (ARC-TPC Chapter), Salvation Army and other disaster relief organizations in the distribution of food and potable water for the feeding of rescue personnel and county residents displaced from their homes.

2. Schools, institutions and other facilities with inventories of USDA commodities, and in proximity of the event, will be used in the feeding of rescue personnel and displaced county residents.

3. It is likely food and potable water inventories will become exhausted if the emergency or disaster is widespread, affecting many people over an extended period of time.

4. The delivery of food and potable water may be hindered due to the disruption of transportation routes.

5. The state Emergency Operations Center will receive requests for food supplies from local jurisdictions or disaster relief organizations 72 hours after the event.

IV. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

A. The ARC-TPC Chapter provides food and potable water to displaced individuals and families in shelters, and emergency workers and rescue personnel.

B. The Purchasing Division of Budget and Finance is the lead agency for the procurement of emergency food supplies. Upon the occurrence of a major event, the Purchasing Agent or designee is to make contact with or report to the Pierce County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to assess the need for the procurement of food supplies.

C. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department is the lead agency for the coordination and dissemination of information regarding preventive measures for contamination of food and the purification of water. The department is also the lead agency for monitoring emergency water supplies for compliance with health regulations.

D. The Pierce County Department of Human Services is responsible for coordinating the support to the emergency needs of agency clients. These needs include food and potable water.

E. The DEM will endeavor to coordinate with major food distributors, grain storage facilities and other elements of the food industry to establish an emergency distribution system if a disaster disrupts the normal distribution process.

V. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Joint Lead Agencies

1. Pierce County Departments

a. Emergency Management

lead agency for coordination with disaster relief organizations and major food distributors for the provision and distribution of food to disaster victims or food service organizations.

b. Budget and Finance, Purchasing Division

coordinate the procurement of emergency food and water supplies.

c. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department

1. provide information for the public regarding food contamination, proper handling, distribution, conservation and safe drinking water.

2. monitor food preparation at point of consumption and emergency water supplies for compliance with applicable standards.

B. Support Agencies

1. Pierce County Department of Human Services

Coordinate the support of emergency needs of agency clients. These needs include food and potable water.

2. Schools, institutions and facilities housing USDA commodity inventories

Provide food and water for emergency workers and victims.

3. Volunteer Organizations

a. American Red Cross Tacoma-Pierce County Chapter

provide food and water for displaced individuals and families at shelters, and emergency workers and rescue personnel.

b. Salvation Army Canteen Service

provide food and water for emergency workers and victims.

VI. REFERENCES

None

VII. DEFINITIONS AND TERMS

None

VIII. TABS

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