Rising Waters and Rising Concerns-Food Safety Amidst the 2008 Flood Jenna Link, BS, LEHP Director of Environmental Health-Henderson Henderson & Mercer County Health Department Administrator-Warren County Health Department Henderson County Oquawka 1
Gladstone Gulfport Mercer County 2
June 13, 2008 US Corp of Engineers forecast Mississippi River at 21 ft on June 18 th at Gladstone LD18 Flood stage @ Gladstone is 10 ft Current level was 16.25 ft 14 ft is considered major flood level Record level is 21.5 ft US Corp of Engineers forecast river for Burlington, IA at 25.6 ft on June 18 th Flood stage at Burlington is 15 ft Current level was 24.42 ft. Record level is 25.1 ft. Immediate Actions Taken Mobile Command Volunteers Food, water, ice Sandbagging Security check points Mass sheltering Evacuation Monitor public water systems Sewage disposal 3
Unified Command Post Maintain communications Develop incident action plans Briefings Coordinate multiple agencies Safety messages 3000 Volunteers Food, Water, Ice Served approximately 1500-3000 meals a day from mid-june to mid-september 4
17 Miles of Sandbags & Temporary Levees Security Check Points National Guard, DNR, State Police, Local Law Enforcement Mass Sheltering anticipated 200 people needing temporary sheltering 5
Evacuation Henderson County low lying areas ordered to evacuate by 6:00 pm Sunday, June 15 th Monitor Public Water Supplies Gladstone PWS Dallas Rural Water Oquawka PWS Galesburg PWS Dallas Rural Water 5 wells Stretches 500 miles Serves 7000 people 6
Oquawka PWS Emergency well Protected by temporary levy Serves 1500 people Galesburg PWS Galesburg PWS Galesburg population 33,706 Two wells Also supplies several towns along the route Pipeline stretches for over 30 miles from wells to treatment plant Pump 5.5 million gallons/day 7
Sewage Disposal Primarily private sewage disposal systems Keithsburg City Sewer Temporary Food Service Sandbaggers Road crews National Guard EMS Evacuees Equipment operators VFD Temporary Food Service Sites 8
Food Safety Measures for Temporary Food Service Donations Inventory Control Storage Preparation Transport Time & Temperature Control Food handlers Handwashing Handwashing Stations Hand sanitizer with 60% ethyl alcohol Food Service Establishments Water Supply NCPWS vs. PWS Sewage Disposal Restricted service Boil order Seniors meal program 9
June 14 th,, 2008 Keithsburg Levy Breaks 10
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Boil Order Hand sinks prep area set up hand wash station using a spigotted container so it is free flowing Lavatories establish hand wash station (one per restroom) using spigotted container Prep sinks only bottled water or boiled water to be used to wash produce 3 compartment sink fill with bottled/boiled water; change as needed 13
Dish machine allow use but must be followed by manual sanitation in 3 compartment sink Cook line only bottled/boiled water can be used Dipper wells remove utensils, shut off water Water baths don t use Ice machine determine potability of existing ice based on cycle times. Shut off water flow to machine, use potable ice till gone, then use commercial bagged ice Soda or drink machines If machine is water/mix type, remove from operation. If its container type, (no water mix) it is ok to use Grocery stores In addition to deli type operations, grocery stores may have misters in the produce area. Unless the misters are on a reverse osmosis system, it must be removed from operation. Water vending machines in grocery stores (evaluate each individually) Portable Toilets 14
Portable Showers Drainage District 3 Levy Breaks June 14, 2008 15
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June 16, 2008 Mississippi River level at Gladstone LD18 is 22.26 ft and expected to crest June 18 th at 22.78 ft Mississippi River level at Burlington is 25.73 ft and expected to crest June 18 th at 26.01 ft Drainage District 1 Levy Breaks June 17, 2008 at 4:45 am 17
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Cleaning Up After the Flood 21
Personal Precautions Hygiene handwashing Protective clothing Illness/injury Waterborne illness-nausea, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, muscle aches, fever Cuts-infected Tetanus Drinking & Cooking Water Bottled water Boil water for 5 minutes or add 5 drops of household bleach to each gallon of water and allow to stand for 30 minutes 15% of wells tested positive for coliform bacteria Food Safety When in Doubt, Throw it Out Canned goods Discard containers with cork-lined lids or caps, screw tops or pop tops Temperature changes can suck contaminants into the container Wash undamaged cans in bleach water (1/4 cup bleach: 1 gallon water) for one minute then dry to prevent rust Bulging or severely dented cans should be discarded 22
Freezer/Refrigerator Fully stocked and kept closed should hold for two days Dry ice 25 lbs. will keep a 10 cubic foot freezer for 3 days Refrigerator will hold for 4-64 6 hours depending on outside temperature High protein foods cannot be stored safely at room temperature Cleanup Porous materials that cannot be thoroughly cleaned such as carpeting or drywall should be discarded Scrub with warm soapy water Rinse w/ solution of ½ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water Continuous ventilation (moisture meter) Mold Scrub w/ soap or detergent Disinfect Mist surfaces before removing moldy drywall, carpet, etc. to keep spores from going airborne Wear rubber gloves and protective clothing Wear properly fitted N95 or HEPA filter face mask 23
Health Effects of Mold Exposure Persons can be exposed through skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion Type & severity of symptoms & diseases depend on the extent of mold present, extent of person s exposure, and susceptibility of person Runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, watery eyes, skin rash and itching (dermatitis) Can trigger asthma attacks in those allergic to mold, causing wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath Sewage Disposal Minimize use Protect area (tank & field) during cleanup to prevent it from being crushed How to Disinfect a Well Sandpoint (Driven Well) Pump it thoroughly Clean out well pit 24
Drilled Well Diameter of well Gallons ( in inches) per Foot 3 0.37 4 0.65 5 1.0 6 1.5 8 2.6 10 4.1 12 6.0 Amount of disinfectant required for each 100 gallons of water Laundry bleach (5.25% chlorine) 3 cups* Hypochlorite granules (70% chlorine) 2 ounces** *1 cup = 8oz. Measuring cup **1 ounce=2 heaping tablespoons of granules Mix liquid or granules in 10 gallons of water Pour solution into top of well Connect hose from faucet on discharge side of PT to well casing top. Start pump. Spray water back into well & wash sides of casing for at least 15 minutes Open every faucet until you smell chlorine Let stand for several hours-overnight overnight Flush chlorine from system-avoid overloading septic system After the Flood Water Keithsburg,, Mercer County, IL 25
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After the Flood Water Henderson County 27
Highway 34 Remained closed for 5 weeks cutting off access to the Burlington Bridge Residents who worked in Iowa traveled miles north or south to get to work 26 workers to operate 24/7 36 industrial pumps 75 million gallons per day Dropped 1 inch per day without rain Pulled the pumps on August 13, 2008 Gulfport 28
Hold & Embargo Procedures Authority provided by Illinois Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act and local food sanitation ordinance Examine or sample food to determine freedom from adulteration or misbranding Provide written notice to the owner or person in charge Place a hold order on food he/she determines or has probable cause to believe to be unwholesome or adulterated 29
Hold & Embargo Cont. Unlawful for any person to move or alter a hold order notice or tag place on food Provide hearing May direct the owner or person in charge of food placed under hold order to be denature or destroyed Order shall be stayed if the order is appealed to a court of competent jurisdiction within 3 days 30
RENOVATIONS Plan Review Plumbing inspections NCPWS reactivation Septic system renovation Pre-operational inspection **15 food service facilities-2 2 minor repairs, 4 completely renovated, 2 demolished, 7 no progress 31
Components of Plan Review Food preparation (PHFs( PHFs) Meats-thin, thin, thick, poultry Cold processed foods (salads, sandwiches) Hot processed foods (soups, rice, noodles, gravy) Bakery goods (custards, cream fillings) Plan Review Cont. Food supplies (dry, cold, frozen) Cold storage Thawing process Cooking Hot/cold holding Cooling Reheating Plan Review Cont. Equipment, surfaces Insect & rodent control Garbage Ventilation Dishwashing Restrooms 32
Other Environmental Health Issues 5,000 Tires Mosquitoes-WNV & SLE Larvicide training Mosquito surveillance Ticks EH Issues Continued Fuel and farm chemicals 744,720 lbs. of flood debri 116,000 lbs of nonburnable household waste such as carpeting & furniture 33
EH Issues Cont. 10,000 lbs. of paint cans, bleach bottles, fluorescent light bulbs White goods freon E-waste & medications Abandoned wells Tips for Success Prepare materials ahead of time Develop a resource list with names and contact numbers Get to know your response partners Utilize the media Encourage team effort Be a part of your community 34
Contact information: Jenna Link, BS, LEHP jlink@idphnet.com 309-734-1314 ext. 103 35