Biosecurity

The Early Responders Distance Learning Center

The Early Responders Distance Learning Center ( ERDLC) of Saint Joseph's University was founded in the autumn of 1999 in response to the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici Act with the mission of providing state of the art and accredited training for emergency responders to WMD/terrorist incidents. ERDLC is partially funded through congressional appropriations directed to facilitate cross-agency cooperation and involvement at the federal, state, and local government levels.

ERDLC sees its mission as being passionately committed to using its diverse talents and resources in creating state of the art distance learning content and delivery embedded in psychological science to aid and strengthen our nation's emergency response community.

ERDLC creates and administers accredited Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) courses for the Emergency Response Community on preparing for Weapons of Mass Destruction/Terrorist Incidents with a specialized focus on psychological consequences. In addition, ERDLC creates and administers Continuing Education Credits for Mental Health Professionals through the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Association for Social Workers (NASW) and is certified for offering additional Continuing Education Credits through the International Association for Continuing Education Training (IACET). Furthermore, all ERDLC courses are submitted for certification through the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).

ERDLC is currently involved in two course projects with the federal government under the direction of the Tactical Support Working Group (TSWG): Weapons of Mass Destruction Psychological Impacts and Effects (WMD-PIE) and Weapons of Mass Destruction- Panic Response Operations (WMD-PRO). Furthermore, TSWG has directed ERDLC to create and implement a Virtual University to deliver and administer web-based ADL courses in complete SCORM compliance.

Future ERDLC projects include a pre-bachelor's, post-bachelor's, pre-master's, and post-master's accredited certificate program from Saint Joseph's University in the Psychological Aspects of Homeland Defense and Security and an additional program in Food Protection and Security.

One of Icon Global Links e commerce and supply chain risk management systems has been used as an example in the following online trainng material.

A website dedicated to raining More details . .

Keeping the Nation's Food Supply Safe

Paul L DeVito, Ph. D

Executive Director

Early Responders Distance Learning Center at Saint Joseph's University

Philadelphia, PA

Protecting the In the last decade developments in food safety policy have helped to ensure that the United States food supply is the safest in the world. However, in response to the recent terrorist acts, government agencies are working to further develop policies and procedures to protect the food supply, both here and abroad, in locations where it is most vulnerable to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) contamination. Furthermore, the potential threat of unintentional contamination of the food supply must be guarded against as well. While awareness and precautions have heightened, much more can and must be done in the form of ongoing information, education, and training that will continuously engage all stakeholders at every point along the food supply chain (including private industry, government agencies, the agricultural community, national and international food agencies, the military, and institutes of higher learning) to react and respond properly and effectively in protecting the US food supply globally.

Government actions over recent years reflect a growing concern about food safety. For nearly a century, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been protecting the Nation's food supply and, overall, it is safe. A review of the recent food safety initiatives illustrates the steps that have been taken to ensure US programs and services are responsive to potential threats: January 1997, National Food Safety Initiative- a five-point plan working with consumers, producers, industry, states, universities, and the public to strengthen and improve food safety; October 1997, Partnership for Food Safety Education, a federal-private partnership to reduce food-borne illness by educating Americans about Food Safety; January 1998, Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HAACP) system for 300 largest meat and poultry plants; August 1998, President's Food Safety Council charged with developing a strategic plan for federal food safety activities and ensuring that all relevant agencies work together to develop coordinated food safety budgets each year; December 1999, Egg Safety Action Plan to reduce Salmonella enteritidis illnesses attributed to eggs.

In the wake of the horrific terrorist acts on September 11, 2002, President Bush established the Office of Homeland Security with the responsibility of ensuring the protection of our nation's people, resources, and way of life. President Bush has requested $45 million to strengthen bio-security measures at USDA which includes increased security, building more facilities to adequately store hazardous materials, and additional resources to provide education, training, and technical support to the states, local governments, and the food and agriculture sector. Many government agencies have vigorously responded to President Bush's calling for strengthening our nation's bio-security measures. For example, in a letter dated October 25, 2001 from USDA, Secretary Ann M. Veneman clearly pronounces that USDA ââ?¬Å? inspectors are on heightened alert at ports of entry and in food processing plants. We have steeped up security at appropriate USDA facilities. We are coordinating with other federal agenciesââ?¬Â¦on biosecurity issues.ââ?¬Â Security measures are in place to protect silos loaded with corn and grains. Train cars carrying grains, crops, and livestock are sealed more securely and monitored more closely. Food processors and manufacturers have intensified HACCP procedures, initiated more comprehensive surveillance, and heightened awareness of personnel movement. Supermarkets, the segment closest to the consumer, have increased security measures and assumed greater responsibility as a depot for dissemination of consumer food safety information.

A detailed investigation after the September 11 th tragedies has unveiled the need for heightened surveillance and rapid detection measures that can quickly and effectively protect against contamination of the food supply. In addition to those measures already in place, the US needs to take all necessary precautionary steps to ensure the safety of our food supply at every point along the supply chain. According to recent FBI findings, acts of bio-terrorism are considered to be a major and serious concern to national and global security. Furthermore, most experts believe that the food supply chain is one of the most vulnerable bioterrorist targets. For example, the program for the 2001 IFT Annual Meeting included the topic of ââ?¬Å?Bio-terrorism: Is the food industry at risk?ââ?¬Â which addressed ââ?¬Å?real worldââ?¬Â situations on such issues as food contamination, business disruption, and consumer response. Biological warfare (using germs or viruses) has long been considered by military strategists. There are known cases of successful efforts to contaminate domestic and global food supplies through bio-terrorism. Research activities focus on various biological agents that could be used as weapons; these biological agents and pathogens mentioned in the GAO (General Accounting Office) report include anthrax, plague, salmonella, smallpox tularemia, and West Nile virus. The U.S. government has implemented measures to protect personnel in overseas installations from infliction of ââ?¬Å?Mad Cow Diseaseââ?¬Â (BSE) and Foot and Mouth Disease.

Tracking the true supply chain, including the supply chain of imported foods, is a fundamental problem for the food industry. Furthermore, only a fraction of the food coming into the U.S. undergoes inspection, and some foods, like those from boat to wholesaler, are not inspected at all. Subsequently, much of our ordinary foods are under the threats of bio-terrorism attack that can go undetected for long periods of time. It is important to note that the closer the food to the consumer, the more vulnerable it is for contamination, including the processing stage before packaging. It is very important, now than ever before, to implement a detailed tracking system, to trace finished products from its source despite the implication it may have on market profits. Retailers are taking steps to maintain operations and deter, limit, or prevent planned contamination of the US food supply and their products in particular. These steps taken together can increase confidence in a safe and abundant food supply.

While some training within the United States government in preparation for acts of bio-terrorism aimed at food�from farm to fork�is available, and while training is on-going for emergency responders in state and local governments, there are few attempts to engage private sector leaders in learning about and supporting preparations for response, or for private sector emergency response training. Although non-government agencies have received some education on food safety and protection, it has come mainly in the form of information materials only (for example, the Investigations Operations Manual, May 1996; Official Methods of Analysis of the AOCAC International 16 th Edition January 1995; Bacteriological Analytical Manual 7 th Edition , 1992; Import Alerts and Detention Reports).

In response to these needs, the Early Responders Distance Learning Center (ERDLC) and Center for Food Marketing (CFM) at Saint Joseph's University in conjunction with the US Food and Drug Agency and the Technical Support Working Group have developed an on-line training program that will satisfy the special needs of the food supply professionals from farm-to-fork. The major goal of the program is to prepare the food and agricultural industries to maintain a safe, secure and abundant food supply that is free from terrorist manipulation In addition to the aforementioned, the training curriculum will serve as a bridge between the many government agencies and organizations that assume responsibility for regulating the US food supply and the non-government industries and agencies that play a role in the food supply system. This bridge will help solidify the government/non-government partnership in keeping the US food supply safe. Historically, the deliberate alteration of food sources has been successfully used as a political weapon. Today, molre than ever, we need to be as proactive as possible in securing our local and international food resources.

Paul L. DeVito, Ph. D.
Executive Director, Early Responders Distance Learning Center
Professor of Psychology
Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA 19131

ERDLC: (610) 660-3261 Fax: (610) 660-3256
PSY: (610) 660-3260 Fax: (610) 660-1819
email: pdevito@sju.edu
http: erdlc.sju.edu