Emergency Preparedness: Plan Development

In developing an emergency preparedness plan for dining services, one of the most important steps is to determine what the facility plan is and how dining services fits into it. And an important step in developing a facility plan is determining how it fits into the community plan.

For example, will the facility assist by providing meals to emergency workers in the community? Will families of staff members be allowed to stay at the facility during some disasters? If so, the dining services plan must include how to feed them. Is dining services responsible for ordering all water for consumption and use, or only the water that the department will use? There is not any right or wrong answers to these situations. The dining services manager just needs to know what is expected.

The department plan must:

• Include the staff’s role within the department.
• Include the department’s role within the facility.
• Be clear and easy to read and understand.
• Easily located by staff.
• Include staff information contact information.
• Include vendor contact information.
• Include contracts with vendors (water, food, supplies, equipment).
• Include contracts with other facilities and establishments.

What is your facility and department expected to do in an emergency?