Alaska Community Emergency Food Cache System (ACEFCS)
Updated; December 9, 2013
Purpose: To increase the ability Alaskan communities to feed themselves in the case
that typical food supply routes and schedules are disrupted for a period of time ranging
from days to weeks.
Synopsis: The ACEFCS accomplishes our purpose by teaming with current private and
public food consumption and commercial distribution outlets by training and contracting
with them to keep a cache of food which is reserved for emergency use only and is
otherwise rotated as part of their regular stock management.
The ACEFCS will provide a true, real time inventory of available foods which in the
event of a qualified emergency, will be distributed by trained and practiced employees
and prepared (as necessary) by traditional emergency responders (ie. Red Cross).
Please note these important caveats:
1. The ACEFCS will be integrated into a comprehensive Emergency Food Security system
which should include:
a. Statewide resources capable of rapid deployment (ie regional caches of MRE’s for
airlift)
b. Emergency Harvest Protocols for wild foods (fish, meat, plants) and cultivated
foods (gardens, farms) which would be highly sought after and easily depleted if not
actively managed in an emergency.
c. Emphasis on strengthening everyday local (Alaskan) food economies by providing
priority and preference for Alaskan produced foods which are identified as contributing
to the Food Security of our communities by being a successful produced and consumed
locally on a continuous basis (ie farming systems with crops and livestock, fishermen
providing local fish, etc) .
2. The security of food stocks during an emergency is carried out by traditional security
personnel (VPSO’s, police, troopers) who have been fully integrated in their local
Emergency Food Response system through joint exercises, etc. but will need to be augmented
by other authorized and trained persons with the expectation that current security
persons will be otherwise occupied during large scale emergencies.
3. The ACEFCS will pre-qualify the LFV’s so they can receive compensation in an expedient
manner for food which is used in qualified emergency situations*.
*this is a triggered by the municipal Incident Commander(?) (or surrogate).
The ACEFCS framework:
Local Food Vendors (LFVs), including institutional food services, distributors, non-profits, agencies,
schools and (potentially) stores and restaurants, etc. are welcome and encouraged
to apply to participate in the ACEFCS. These are food outlets which are already going
through food stock in a community on a regular basis. The LFV’s store Emergency Food Caches (EFC) which will be kept at all times in their secure storage facilities (warehouse,
store room, etc.). An EFC is an agreed upon quantity (calculated to # of meals), quality
(specific items which constitute healthy and balanced nutritional value), and types
(ie specific preparation requirement parameters, consider the difference between canned
beans vs. dry beans) of foods. The EFC are to consist of foods that already being
part of the LFVs standard stock and so will be rotated on a regular basis as part
of their daily operations (well before expiration dates) and in accordance with methods
developed by the ACEFCS administrators. Exact Cache locations will be authorized by
ACEFCS.
With provided training, guidance and support, LFV’s will maintain a Employee Readiness Protocol (ERP) by which their employees (Emergency Food Responders-EFR) will respond to an
emergency need with the appropriate performance.
ERP will include;
1. When activated/directed*, employees report to (or stay with) the cache (business)
and implement rehearsed Food Security and Distribution Protocols (FSDP) to, a) secure the food reserve and, b) distribute it in a pre-planned manner
(or as directed by Emergency Response Command Center/System) and,
2. There will be established Employee Self and Family Plans (ESFP) which will enable employees to successfully and reliably carry out the FSDP
without concern for their own family’s safety. As a primary part of the EFSP, the
employer provides (or subsidizes?) and verifies home-based (and/or(?) business-based)
personal emergency supplies which will meet self and family needs for a designated
time period. (This is akin to Juneau electrical company, AEL&P, system).
Benefits to Participants
LFVs benefit by; 1) increased employee satisfaction due to their own improved food
security (the “I’m cared for” effect), 2) being buffered from some “normal” out of
stock situations (as long as they keep the contracted minimum stock levels) and will
definitely benefit from fewer shortages caused by supply disruptions, 4) public recognition
and promotion for being a Good Samaritan Business, 5) better likelihood of care for
property in case of a food emergency (looting, vandalism), 6) managers and employees
receive EFR training, 7) contract with state to compensate for costs due to required
increased conditioned storage space.
Local Communities and the State of Alaska benefit by; 1) no ongoing food costs (initial investment, loss, spoilage, expiration, etc), 2) more prepared citizens and families trained to be “part of the solution” in an emergency, 3) increased community/individual awareness of the need for emergency preparedness, 4) strengthened local economies because of Alaska grown/produced preference which can include the Alaskan producers as LFV or stores/distributors who carry their products as the LFV, or both.
Expected Costs to Participants:
LFV; 1) Employee time for training, 2) ERP development and ongoing maintenance
ACSFCS Administrator (State of AK?); 1) EFR training, 2) contracted compensation for LFVs required increased conditioned storage space (can be standardized by area?, #meals?), 3) Initial stock increase
LFVs provide the following, but are already factored as part of above costs or are
compensated for in plan ; 1) conditioned space (specific location, conditions, etc.),
2) food (specific Quantity, Quality and Type), 3) trained EFRs.
Just a few immediate outstanding questions:
Who pays for the initial increased stock levels? (therefore, Who “owns” the food?)
Is there a cost sharing or incentivized way for businesses to help pay or is it all
public funds? Private or public grants?
Are certain businesses too risky to have this responsibility? (ie financially unstable,
unable to maintain competent employees and adequate facilities)
*there will be an inspection protocol to verify contact is be upheld.
What happens if a LFV goes out of business?
Will ongoing compensation for LFV’s for conditioned storage space provided?
How to deal with changing food prices?
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For more information, to help with this project or for help implementing an ACEFCS in your community, please contact AFPC Emergency Preparedness Working Group Co-Chairs: Darren Snyder and David Fazzino
Darren Snyder
UAF Cooperative Extension Service Agent
and Assistant Professor
712 W. 12th Street, Suite 1
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: 907-523-3280
email: darren.snyder@alaska.edu
David Fazzino, PhD, JD
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone - 907-474-6188