Practicing to protect the food supply post-disaster

Sonia Soelter

WSDA Emergency Management

Last month several WSDA staff participated in a multi-agency exercise to prepare for one of the least-known agency responsibilities: protecting the food supply after a
radiological incident.

PNW’s only nuclear power plant 

Columbia Generating Station near Richland

The Pacific Northwest has only one active nuclear power plant, the Columbia Generation Station (CGS). The federal government requires that nuclear facilities such as CGS demonstrate that they can appropriately respond to protect the public if there were an incident at the facility that resulted in the release of harmful levels of radiation. They demonstrate this readiness by having regular exercises that simulate nuclear incidents. Several local and state agencies participate in these exercises, including WSDA.

Protecting the food supply

WSDA plays a critical role ensuring the safety of the food supply both at the time of a radiological material release and in the months that follow. The agency has two main responsibilities:

• Issuing an “ag advisory” which provides the community with advice about how to protect their food and water supplies from potential radiological exposure. 

• Establishing food control areas to prevent contaminated food from entering the food supply chain. 

It was the first of these responsibilities – issuing the ag advisory – that WSDA staff practiced during last month’s exercise.

Practice makes perfect

WSDA’s Rapid Response and Emergency Management Program works closely with the Food Safety and Consumer Services Division, the Animal Services Division and the Communications Office to plan, prepare for, and practice for these events.

During the exercise, participants play out a fictitious scenario using real-world data. For example, the scenario may be that a malfunction has resulted in the release of a plume of radiation. Exercise participants then use real-time weather information to make decisions about how to respond to the incident.

During the exercise, WSDA food-safety staff work with county representatives to identify which counties may be impacted by the scenario. They use this information to draft the ag advisory, which is then coordinated with the other participating agencies and released to the media. Speed is key to getting the advisory out, so farmers and the public can take to protect food and water supplies before any potential exposure. The ag advisory recommends things like:

• Sheltering animals.
• Covering animal food and water supplies.
• Not transporting agricultural products out of the area.

Feedback from other exercise participants, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency  (FEMA) which monitored and graded the exercise, was positive. WSDA staff have dramatically sped up the process for issuing the ag advisory over the years, and they continue to look for ways to improve.

The real-world implication for the public is that they will get information in time to take actions to protect our food supply, which is important for both the health of Washingtonians and our agricultural economy.

As WSDA practices for emergencies, we encourage residents to prepare as well. Check out our website for information about WSDA’s disaster response and how you can prepare for emergencies, such as a nuclear event.

Interested in learning more about the Columbia Generating Station? Check out the video below!

Guest blog: ag industry should prepare for the Big One, too

Steven Friederich
Washington Military Department

Every October leaves change, the air grows cooler and for many in the agriculture industry, harvest season is coming to close before preparing for the upcoming winter months.

October also marks earthquake preparedness month across Washington State, and this year more than 1 million people will be practicing their drop, cover and hold on skills during the Great Washington ShakeOut earthquake drill at 10:20 a.m. on Oct. 20.

Practice May Save a Life

Brian Terbush, the earthquake/volcano program coordinator for the Washington Emergency Management Division, is asking farmers, ranchers and others in the ag industry to practice their earthquake preparedness skills on a date that works best for them if the typical third Thursday in October doesn’t pan out.

According to the state’s Emergency Management Division, practicing these emergency response skills helps build muscle memory. When the ground does start shaking, it’s better to automatically remember to drop, cover and hold on rather than panicking and bolting out the door or standing in place.

Registration helps us track the number of people participating, but isn’t required to practice your skills. You can show you are participating by registering at shakeout.org/washington/

Earthquakes on the Farm

So, what happens if you’re on a tractor or a combine in the middle of a field?

If you feel the earth start to shake, stop at a safe spot. Avoid power lines, trees, signs, buildings, vehicles and other hazards. Turn off the engine and stay in the farm equipment until the shaking stops. Similar advice goes for when driving a pickup or car, as well.

For cranberry farmers or others on the coast, once the shaking stops, head to high ground because a tsunami may be on the way. The state Department of Natural Resources offers tsunami inundation maps to help you figure out the safe routes to take and if your property is in a tsunami inundation zone.

Earthquakes in Food Processing Facilities

What if you’re in a processing facility or have a lot of machinery around?

The first step is to make sure your hazardous materials are properly labeled and to make sure you and your employees know where they are located ahead of time. Terbush suggests conducting periodic drills/orientations/walkthroughs with workers to point out and go over areas which may or may not be safe during an Earthquake, so that hopefully the knowledge of what is safe and unsafe to be near during an earthquake (just like we suggest staying away from windows and objects that could fall during an earthquake).  In addition, look to see if any equipment can be stabilized by being bolted to the walls, just like we suggest with water heaters in your home.

If there’s nowhere to duck under, get as low to the ground as possible and protect your neck with your hands. Quickly move to safety once the shaking stops, as aftershocks could be soon follow.

Business As Unusual After a Quake

Earthquakes can damage/destroy your business’ infrastructure and interrupt the delivery of resources your business depends on.

Tristan Allen, the state Emergency Management Division’s private industry program manager, says creating a business continuity plan that outlines your strengths and weaknesses is essential and provides some fundamental guidance for actions to be taken in the event of a disaster. Where would you operate if your physical facilities are damaged or destroyed? What is the plan if your distribution and supply chain are disrupted? The EMD’s Private Industry Program hosts a number of links on their website that may be of help.

Agriculture and the food industry are critical to our state's recovery after an earthquake. By preparing today, you'll not only potentially save the lives of loved ones and employees, but your business and the state will more quickly recover in the case of such a catastrophe.

Steven Friederich is a guest blogger from the Washington Military Department, where he is the Digital Media Coordinator.

Help for farmers, ranchers affected by massive wildfires

Mike Louisell
Communications 

Wildfires burning across Washington have been devastating, particularly in Eastern Washington. Lives have been lost, families displaced and homes destroyed. The losses in agriculture continue to mount with reports of packing houses, chicken coops, barns and fencing destroyed, livestock lost or killed, and pasture and crops burned.

Right now, WSDA's role in responding to these fires is far more limited than other agencies directly engaged. But we can, at least, share information on resources available for those in agriculture affected by the fires.

Topping the list are federal agency assistance programs, such as the USDA's Farm Service Agency, which has a Livestock Indemnity Program to help those who have lost livestock due to the wildfires.

USDA Rural Development also has resources for agriculture, listed on the USDA Fire Recovery Assistance webpage, prepared by the State Food and Ag Council's Outreach Committee. The webpage lists programs that are available with financial and technical assistance, including recovery expertise from Washington State University Extension.

On the state side, Gov. Jay Inslee's office has created this webpage of wildfire resources with information on Red Cross shelters, state agency assistance programs and even opportunities for those wishing to volunteer locally. If you're on social media, Gov. Inslee's office is sharing the most up-to-date information on Twitter with the hashtag #WAwildfire.

Most likely, WSDA's role in the future will be in supporting the agricultural community as events transition to a recovery phase. Once the fires subside and farmers, food processors and those with livestock operations evaluate the extent of their losses, WSDA may be called upon to help directly with services.

For now, like all others in Washington state, we can only watch the courageous crews fighting these wildfires and work to support those affected by them.