CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION GUIDE TO PANDEMIC PLANNING FOR THE FRESH PRODUCE INDUSTRY

Transcription

1 CANADIAN PRODUCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION GUIDE TO PANDEMIC PLANNING FOR THE FRESH PRODUCE INDUSTRY SEPTEMBER 2007

2 Disclaimer The Canadian Produce Marketing Association has prepared this Guide to provide an overview of best practices which individual organizations may choose to use in planning for an event such as an influenza pandemic. The information is current as of the date of publication. However, future work is being undertaken in this area, so changes, deletions, additions, or other amendments may be made to this information without notice. Users should always refer to the CPMA website ( for the most current version of this document and should also make use of the other websites and documents referenced in the Guide. The information contained in the Guide is only suggested guidelines, and is not intended to cover every situation. Individual organizations are advised to seek professional guidance before applying any information contained in this document to their own particular circumstances. Users should always obtain appropriate professional advice on the medical issues involved. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association accepts no liability or responsibility for any acts or omissions resulting from reliance, in whole or in part, on this document. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association disclaims all responsibility or liability to any person, whether in contract, equity or tort, or on any other basis, for any direct or indirect losses, illness or injury, or damage of any kind, arising from use of this document. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association is not responsible for the contents or reliability of any websites mentioned in this document, and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in them. Copyright This document may be reproduced free of charge in any format or media without requiring specific permission so long as the material being reproduced is accurate and not being used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. If the material is being published or issued to others, the source must be acknowledged. The permission to reproduce this material does not extend to any material in this document that is identified as being the copyright of a third party. Authorization to reproduce such material must be obtained directly form the copyright holders concerned. Acknowledgements This Guide was adapted from several similar documents including: An Analysis of the Potential Impact of the H5N1 Avian Flu Virus on the Wholesale, Retail Grocery and Food Service Industry, produced by Alex Lee Inc. Influenza Pandemic: Continuity Planning Guide for Canadian Business March 2006, produced by Canadian Manufacturer s and Exporters Pandemic Preparedness Guide, produced by Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors CPMA gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the above organizations in making their documents freely available to others. All efforts have been made to ensure that the CPMA Guide is harmonized and consistent with the efforts of the above organizations, as well as other food industry organizations and the relevant federal government departments. This is to ensure that there is a consistent, practical and effective approach to planning for an event such as an influenza pandemic, and mitigating the effect of such an event on the food industry. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 2 September 2007

3 Table of Contents Executive Summary..4 Background... 5 Impact on the Fresh Produce Industry... 5 Influenza and Influenza Pandemic... 7 Planning Assumptions... 8 How does this Planning Guide work?... 9 Roles and Responsibilities Role of Federal, Provincial/Territorial, and Municipal Governments Provincial and Municipal Governments What are our roles as industry leaders and businesses? General Practices Senior Management Human Resources Employee Relations Media Consumers Security Information Systems Government Finance Legal Specific Practices/Considerations All Suppliers Grower/Shipper Operators Repacker/Wholesale Operators Warehouses and Transportation Fresh cut Processors Retailers Foodservice Operators Summary..26 Appendix One List of key websites for preparedness planning 27 Appendix Two Information material for use in individual organizations..31 Appendix Three - Sample business continuity contact list for pandemic influenza...39 CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 3 September 2007

4 Executive Summary CPMA has developed this document to assist businesses in the fresh produce industry to develop their own pandemic preparedness plans. This is a template only, and all users are urged to develop preparedness plans specific to each of their individual organizations. CPMA was directed by its North American Trade Task Force to develop a guide outlining suggested practices for businesses to consider in the event of an influenza pandemic, or similar emergency. The purpose of the Guide is to assist stakeholders in the fresh produce industry to plan, prepare, respond and recover from an emergency event. In developing this document, CPMA reviewed a variety of reference materials, and used three key documents in preparing the Emergency Preparedness Guide for Planning, Response And Recovery For The Fresh Produce Industry: An Analysis of the Potential Impact of the H5N1 Avian Flu Virus on the Wholesale, Retail Grocery and Food Service Industry (Alex Lee Inc.) Influenza Pandemic: Continuity Planning Guide for Canadian Business March 2006 (Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters) Pandemic Preparedness Guide (Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors) The Guide is organized into four main sections which cover an overview of an Influenza Pandemic, Roles and Responsibilities, General Practices and Specific Practices/Considerations. Each section provides information and tools for individual organizations to adapt and use within their own emergency planning and business continuity activities. There is a high level of engagement with pandemic and emergency planning activities within the food industry, in Canada and in other countries. Associations such as ours, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association are working with other associations, such as the Canadian Horticultural Council, Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, Produce Marketing Association (US), Retail Council of Canada, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and the Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition. This Guide has been developed to be consistent with other industry association pandemic planning guides to allow those industry stakeholders who may receive other guides to use either one interchangeably. There are many recommendations contained in this document that can be used to stimulate thinking around pandemic planning. Additional resources and information are outlined in the three appendices. This should provide an excellent starting point to develop an action plan to prepare your organization for the potential of an influenza pandemic. CPMA will also be developing an internal Business Continuity Plan for staff and the operation of the Association to respond to the significant business disruption anticipated with a flu pandemic. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 4 September 2007

5 Background A pandemic is defined by Merriam-Webster s Dictionary as disease occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population. Pandemic diseases have happened throughout history with disturbing regularity. Just as the impact of one event fades from current human memory, another event occurs. In the 20th Century there were three influenza pandemics; the Spanish Flu pandemic of , the Asian Flu pandemic of 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu pandemic of The Spanish Flu pandemic of was the most devastating of the 20 th Century occurrences, killing an estimated 20 to 50 million people around the world. Experts state unequivocally that there will be another influenza pandemic, although it cannot be predicted when it will occur. In recent years governments around the world and the World Health Organization (WHO) have been placing increased emphasis on preparations for an influenza pandemic. This is in response to the fact that the global health community foresees another influenza pandemic in the future. Within Canada the federal, provincial and territorial governments have collaborated to produce The Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector, which was prepared in 2004 and is an evergreen document. Provincial and municipal governments have developed plans specific to their levels to prepare for, and respond to, an influenza pandemic. In addition to their own planning, governments have urged industry and individuals to take steps to be prepared for an influenza pandemic. Though not traditionally an issue which is addressed by the food industry as a whole, it has been recognized in Canada that it will be essential for food businesses, organizations and associations to work together in preparation for an emergency event such as an influenza pandemic. What sets this potential occurrence apart from previous influenza pandemics is the environment in which it will operate. Humans are now intensely mobile, our economy is dependent upon the economies of other countries, and we are inundated with 24/7 media from television, hard copy, radio and the extensive coverage with its wide range of views of the Worldwide Web. Global news forms the framework for Canadians to respond to international and domestic events. When the current socio-economic and media environment is coupled with the real impacts of a potential influenza pandemic, the situation may be amplified far beyond the bounds of reality. If an Influenza A virus mutates to enable human to human transmission effectively, it will spread throughout human populations rapidly. If this occurs, it will become the major story in the media. This has the very real potential of creating an extremely chaotic environment as everyone reacts and/or overreacts. It would be hoped that after the initial panic period, society as a whole could move forward and deal with events as they arise. During this initial period, it will be essential to ensure that information and communications are accurate, credible, timely and available to everyone. Individual organizations can play a key role by keeping their employees, business associates, and customers fully apprised and aware of their individual planning and preparedness efforts. Impact on the Fresh Produce Industry Like other industries, and the economy as a whole, the impact on the fresh produce industry could be varied. It is expected that staff absences, availability of services, telecommunications, transportation, energy supply and demand for business services will all be affected by an influenza pandemic. Staff absences can be expected for many reasons: Illness/incapacity including suspected, actual or post-infectious illness and incapacity; Caring for ill spouses, children, relatives, close friends; Social distancing people may feel safer at home, rather than exposing themselves to perceived or potential risks in crowded places, such as public transit; CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 5 September 2007

6 Volunteering in the community, offering health care services, etc.; and, Staying home to care for school-aged children, as schools may be closed. People will avoid densely populated public areas or activities which will bring them into contact with others. Particularly hard hit will be sectors such as food service/restaurants, conventions, travel and leisure, public transportation, hotels, cruises, theme parks, etc. Essentially people will resist leaving their homes. It could be anticipated that with this shift in human behaviour that there could be an increase in the demand for internet shopping, self-checkout and home delivery. This could provide opportunities to both food service and retailers, as they could explore the feasibility of altering their business services to accommodate the shift in consumer behaviour. Additionally, it will be important to note that consumers may focus on prepackaged, nonperishable product. As the fresh produce industry is one where product has a very limited shelf life, both in terms of quality and safety, the potential for a huge decrease in demand would result in rotting product on retail shelves, in warehouses and in fields. It may be useful to consider the possibilities of shifting fresh produce to processing, where possible, to meet the corresponding increase in demand for non-perishable items. In order for this to happen, arrangements must be made ahead of time and in preparation for such an event. Consumers may also shy away from imported product and have greater interest in country-oforigin information. If this occurs, it will have been very important to ensure that proactive communications and awareness campaigns are implemented to combat this type of perception shift. Other impacts from an influenza pandemic may include: The provision of essential services like information, telecommunications, transportation, financial services, energy supply, and logistics may be disrupted Customer orders may be cancelled or may not be able to be filled Supplies of materials needed for ongoing business activity may be disrupted. Further problems can be expected if the majority of the supply is imported. The availability of services from sub-contractors may be affected (this may affect maintenance of key equipment, and is an area that merits close planning attention) Demand for business services may be affected demand for some services may increase (internet access is a possible example); while demand for others may fall (e.g. certain types of travel activity) Public meetings are likely to be cancelled by the authorities or because of low attendance Canada s trade status may be compromised Companies and organizations will have to develop policies to mitigate the effects of significant staff shortages. Though employee response may be inconsistent, considerations should be taken to ensure a base level of awareness of the realities of an influenza pandemic and the actions that each company has and will take to protect employees. Part time and lower pay employees will abandon their jobs as they perceive the risk being greater than the compensation. To further compound the situation, it should be recognized that staff shortages will be occurring in other companies and other sectors, and in other geographic locations. There will be staff shortages in terms of CFIA inspectors, CBSA personnel, warehouse personnel, truckers, carriers, customs brokers, wholesalers, processing lines, retail clerks, wait staff, chefs, cooks, management, accountants, financial institutions, government departments, etc. Human resource policies and practices will become instantly obsolete unless organizations are proactive and prepare for such events. The fresh produce industry is unique among the majority of food industries which supply the Canadian marketplace. There are over 400 different species of fresh fruits and vegetables from CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 6 September 2007

7 over 150 different countries consumed in Canada every year. Conversely, Canada exports $1 billion worth of horticultural products every year. Trading in fresh produce means just in time shipping, delivery, receiving and marketing to ensure the highest level of quality while fulfilling demand for product. Fresh produce is both highly perishable and an essential component of healthy diets for Canadians. Due to these characteristics, the fresh produce industry will be singularly challenged in the event of an influenza pandemic. Even though the respective government agencies have indicated that in a pandemic situation, the border between Canada and the United States would remain open, this is not a certainty. Border closures would have an extreme impact on the fresh produce industry. Similarly, any human resource shortages at border points would also negatively impact the flow of fresh produce into and from the Canadian marketplace. There might be several impacts specific to the fresh produce industry which will be of extreme importance. These include, but are not limited to: Border Closures complete stoppage of product i.e. Canada does not produce tin cans or glass jars in any large capacity, they are all imported from the United States even if Canada possessed the processing capacity to redirect perishable foodstuffs to canned goods, the supplies for canning may not be available. Transportation shortages delivery of goods from pesticides, seed stocks, and packaging materials to water, food, supplies, etc. Shift from fresh produce to non-perishable forms of fruits and vegetables Employee shortages from farm workers to product inspection to carriers/truckers to retail and food service, all organizations are encouraged to think outside the box and consider alternative practices to ensure business continuity. Energy requirements fuel shortages will impact everything from tractors to greenhouses to truckers Prompt payment arrangements for payments must be discussed between business partners in the event of an emergency, especially one which may have a longer timeframe, such as an influenza pandemic. Influenza and Influenza Pandemic Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by the influenza virus of which there are three types A, B and C. Types A and B cause annual influenza outbreaks and Type C causes mild upper respiratory illness, only Type A influenza causes pandemics or global epidemics. The virus is spread by attachment to tiny respiratory secretion droplets in coughs and sneezes, and can survive on surfaces such as door knobs for several hours. There are annual outbreaks of influenza, usually during the winter. When there is limited change/mutation in the major circulating strain from year to year, such outbreaks, known as seasonal flu, are less apt to cause major problems because individuals usually have some immunity built up as a result of previous exposure. The people most at risk for serious complications are those with underlying illness, particularly affecting lungs or heart. When there is a major change in virus, widespread severe disease is more likely to occur. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new virulent strain of the virus, to which there is no immunity, emerges. Symptoms may be more severe than those for seasonal flu and complications more frequent. Investigation into current human cases of H5N1 have revealed that it has resulted from direct contact with infected poultry, or direct, extended personal contact with an infected individual. Overall, given the broad circulation of this virus in wild and domestic birds and the number of humans that have been exposed to these sick and dead birds, human infection resulting in severe illness remains a relatively rare event. Vaccines are developed every year, targeting the strains of influenza A and B predicted to be important in the following season. Vaccines are developed based on known flu strains. In a CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 7 September 2007

8 pandemic year, where there is a novel strain of virus, development of a vaccine for the new strain would take approximately 6 months. A pandemic emergency differs from most emergencies, for which business continuity plans are prepared, in that it is geographically universal, of long duration (weeks to months), and affects human resources rather than physical facilities. In the event of a fire or flood or ice storm, enterprise personnel can relocate to alternate sites and continue to function. In the case of an influenza pandemic, many of the staff will not be available for work. Therefore, it is important to understand that thorough planning for any form of a pandemic is critical to a company s ability to maintain its operations and recover quickly in the aftermath of a flu pandemic. The World Health Organization has defined 6 main stages for the progression of an Influenza Pandemic. Phase 1 and 2 are termed Inter-pandemic periods, Phase 3, 4 and 5 are considered Pandemic alert periods and Phase 6 is identified as the Pandemic period. Phase 1 - No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. An influenza virus subtype that has caused human infection may be present in animals. If present in animals, the risk of human infection or disease is considered to be low. Phase 2 - No new influenza virus subtypes have been detected in humans. However, a circulating animal influenza virus subtype poses a substantial risk of human disease. Phase 3 - Human infection(s) with a new subtype, but no human-to-human spread, or at most, rare instances of spread to a close contact. Phase 4 - Small cluster(s) with limited human-to-human transmission but spread is highly localized, suggesting that the virus is not well adapted to humans. Phase 5 - Larger cluster(s) but human-to-human spread still localized, suggesting that the virus is becoming increasingly better adapted to humans, but may not yet be fully transmissible (substantial pandemic risk). Phase 6 Full Pandemic - increased and sustained transmission of the disease in the general population. Currently we are at Phase 3. It is expected that Phase 4 will be the trigger for organizations to begin the awareness portion of their plans, while Phase 5 will trigger implementation of pandemic preparedness plans. Planning Assumptions For use as a guide to planning activities, the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan provides a number of assumptions about the nature and impact of an influenza pandemic. The key planning assumptions are: The next pandemic will emerge outside Canada, and will arrive in Canada within 3 months of emergence elsewhere. The pandemic virus may arrive at any time of the year, and may last 12 to 18 months. The first peak of illness could occur within 2 to 4 months of the virus arrival in Canada, with the peak in mortality approximately one month later. A pandemic wave will sweep across Canada in 1-2 months affecting multiple locations simultaneously. The pandemic will occur in two or more waves with the duration of each wave of illness being 6 to 8 weeks. It is unlikely that an effective vaccine will be available at the start of the pandemic but may be available for the second wave. The characteristics of the virus will be consistent with known influenza strains: o incubation period 1 to 3 days; o communicability period from 24 hours before to 5 to 7 days after onset of symptoms; o o transmission by large droplets and direct and indirect contact; transmission by asymptomatic persons (i.e. individuals showing no symptoms of illness) is possible. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 8 September 2007

9 The new virus will be transmitted efficiently from person to person resulting in large numbers of people being infected. Symptoms will be consistent with known human influenza strains. Over 70% of the population will be infected over the course of the pandemic but only 15% to 35% will become ill. The majority of cases will occur in the first wave. For a pandemic of mild to moderate severity, of those who are clinically ill: o up to 50% will seek outpatient care; o 1% will be hospitalized and recover; o 0.4% will be fatal cases. For a severe pandemic, of those who are clinically ill: o up to 10% may be hospitalized; o 2% may die. Individuals who recover from the illness will be immune to further infection from that strain. Officials of the Canadian Department of Finance have provided assumptions about absenteeism which include: o Employers should plan for a total workplace absenteeism rate of between 20% and 25% during the peak two week period with lower rates in the preceding and subsequent weeks with variations possible on a local level. Normal winter absenteeism rate is 8%. o Small work units in which employees engage in a high degree of social interaction could expect higher peak absenteeism than larger work units with less social interaction. o Prudent planning assumptions for absenteeism due to illness, care-giving and workplace avoidance vary with industry from a low of 13.4% for agriculture to a high of 25.6% for health care and social assistance. How does this Planning Guide work? All businesses should take immediate steps to develop continuity plans that protect employees, minimize disruptions, and contain negative impacts on customers, the economy, and local communities. Companies that provide critical infrastructure services, such as food, energy, financial services, transportation, and telecommunications have a special responsibility to continue operations in the event of a pandemic and should plan accordingly. While a pandemic cannot be stopped, proper preparation may reduce its impact. This guide is designed to help businesses minimize the risk that an influenza pandemic poses to the health and safety of employees, the continuity of business operations, and organizations bottom lines. It is intended to provide the basic information organizations may require in preparing a continuity plan to mitigate the potential effects of a pandemic. To help the fresh produce industry be as prepared as possible, this document includes several sections which outline considerations and/or describe potential practices that could be developed and/or incorporated into an individual business continuity plan. It is important to note that this Guide can be used and/or adapted by any stakeholder involved in the food industry, whether located in Canada, the United States or another country. The purpose of the Guide is to highlight general practices which organizations should consider in the event of an emergency situation. Though some of the reference material is specific to the Canadian context, all organizations/companies are encouraged to adapt the information for their specific circumstances, and reference their individual country s responsible federal, state, and local government bodies. The recommendations included in this Guide, are designed to identify practices or ideas for individual organizations to consider for the development of their pandemic plans. They are divided into two main sections; General Practices and Specific Practices/Considerations. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 9 September 2007

10 General Practices are those that should be considered by all organizations regardless of the nature of your operations. Specific Practices/Considerations are those that may apply to specific sectors of the supply chain from Grower/Shippers to Importers/Exporters to Retail/Foodservice. Roles and Responsibilities Unlike an emergency event such as a flood, fire, or mudslide, an influenza pandemic will affect all parts of the country and as a result will require participation from all levels of the government across Canada and between all countries. Additionally, the interaction and communication between government and industry will need to be reliable and consistent. Role of Federal, Provincial/Territorial, and Municipal Governments Pandemic influenza by its nature will affect all parts of the nation and require the response of all levels of government. However, the responsibility for dealing with an emergency is first with the individual and then rises through the levels of government as resources and expertise are needed. Each federal minister is responsible for development of emergency preparedness and each province and territory has emergency management plans. Public Safety Canada (PS) is responsible for nationwide coordination of emergency response, including pandemic influenza response. This includes the network of emergency centers across the country. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is the focal point for federal leadership, accountability, and coordination in responding to public health emergencies and is the lead federal agency for health related pandemic response. Ministers of Health at the federal, provincial and territorial level are responsible for ensuring that higher level plans are distributed to all organizations involved in health related pandemic response and for ongoing liaison with them in coordination of plans and activities. Local public health officials are responsible for planning local health related responses to pandemic influenza with direction from the provincial and federal level. This includes liaison with local stakeholders to ensure coordinated response. Lines of communication within communities and up to provincial and federal levels must be clear and established in advance of a pandemic. The two main government bodies responsible for responding to an influenza pandemic are the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Public Safety Canada (PS). PHAC has responsibility for the public health aspect of an influenza pandemic, and PS is responsible for coordinating all the various federal government agencies and managing the interface between the Canadian public, industry and government. For the agriculture and agri-food sector, AAFC will have the responsibility for securing the food supply chain. The Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan for the Health Sector is the major plan for health related response to a pandemic in Canada. The plan was produced by federal, provincial and territorial governments working together. The goal of pandemic planning is to minimize serious illness and deaths resulting from an influenza pandemic, and to minimize societal disruption during a pandemic. One of the objectives is to assist the provinces and territories so that the response to pandemic influenza is similar across Canada, resulting in the delivery of the best health care possible during a time of potentially high demand for services. The Plan has three major goals: To assist and facilitate appropriate planning and response at all levels of government by: o developing, through a federal, provincial and territorial (F/P/T) collaborative process, a national Plan that is acceptable and applicable to stakeholders and that clearly identifies roles and responsibilities; o developing a Plan that is sufficiently flexible to account for the unknown epidemiology of a pandemic and the needs of different stakeholders; o recommending planning considerations for the appropriate prevention, care and treatment during a pandemic; and CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 10 September 2007

11 o recommending planning considerations for appropriate communications, resource management and preventive measures to minimize societal disruption from a health sector perspective. To provide a Plan that is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure the incorporation of new developments and to ensure consistency with best practices. To provide an evaluated Plan that is sufficiently clear and comprehensive to ensure operational viability. The second primary government agency with an overarching mandate for responding to an influenza pandemic is Public Safety Canada (PS). The coordinating role of PS includes outreach to provincial and municipal governments and coordination of response to the impact of an influenza pandemic nationwide. Various government working groups link together municipal, provincial and federal governments to ensure a consistent and coordinated approach to communications and activities. This includes the Private Sector Working Group which brings together a wide range of different industry groups representing energy, telecommunications, transportation, finance, agriculture and food, and health with various federal and provincial government departments. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has developed a draft National Disaster Assistance Framework (NDAF) which provides a policy and emergency management frame for the department s responsibilities under the Emergency Preparedness Act. The NDAF is not a specialized pandemic preparedness plan. Rather it outlines an all-hazards emergency management system designed to link the federal, provincial/territorial and private sectors to better manage and co-ordinate response to all emergencies. Emergency management planning is keyed to the adverse effects common to most emergencies rather than their differing causes. The objectives of the NDAF are to: Provide a tool to effectively manage an emergency affecting the Agriculture and Agri- Food Sector; and Provide upon request support to provinces/territories, federal departments, private sector entities and international partners. The strategy for emergency management in the NDAF is to: Develop and maintain emergency preparedness strategies, plans and procedures in collaboration with federal, provincial/territorial, international and private sector stakeholders to effectively manage emergencies which could adversely affect the Agri- Food Sector; Integrate the NDAF into existing public/private sector structures, organizations and resources to the fullest extent possible; and Deliver training and exercises in relation to the NDAF to ensure federal, provincial/territorial and private sector stakeholders as well as their plans are in a constant state of readiness. AAFC is the primary federal government agency which will be responsible for securing the food supply in Canada in the event of an influenza pandemic. To facilitate this, AAFC works closely with the food industry through several different pathways. One example is the Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Pandemic Subcommittee. This subcommittee provides a forum for discussion of the challenges that may exist in producing, securing and distributing food to Canadians in the event of an influenza pandemic, and development of solutions. Representation is wide and diverse, including industry associations involved in the agriculture and agri-food sector, other related industry and non-profit associations, such as the Red Cross, and federal and provincial government departments such as Transport Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Public Safety Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The Subcommittee is co-chaired by AAFC s Director of Emergency Preparedness and the Chair of the Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 11 September 2007

12 The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will have a key role in the control and mitigation of impacts at Canada s borders. CBSA is currently working proactively with United States Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) under the Security and Prosperity Partnership to develop coordinated business resumption protocols at the border in the event of an unexpected disaster or increased alert levels. These efforts will support the continuity of border operations in the event of an emergency. CBSA is working to ensure that although there may be a possibility that a border crossing might have to close for a short period, the border itself will not close in an emergency situation such as an influenza pandemic. The CBSA and U.S. CBP are making every effort to further harmonize and strengthen Canada-U.S. plans and to help ensure that plans are in place to enable the lawful flow of trade and travel during an emergency. There will be a strong emphasis on communicating with clients and stakeholders to provide timely information on the status of key border crossings. Provincial and Municipal Governments In the event of an influenza pandemic, the first line of response will be at the municipal level. The role and response of municipal governments is essential in mitigating the effects and chaos of an emergency situation. The Canadian public interfaces with industry at the local and municipal level which necessitates the need for local industries to develop strong communication ties with municipal governments. Provincial government/industry working groups provide an opportunity for municipal and provincial governments and industry to develop and strengthen communication lines and planned approaches in their messaging and actions. It is strongly recommended that provincial industry associations and their memberships learn about the work of their respective provincial governments in emergency and influenza pandemic planning. In an emergency event, individual companies should work closely with their respective local government authorities. Regional organizations should identify which provincial government departments they should work with, such as those responsible for health, agriculture and food. All of the provinces and territories have developed plans to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic. These plans typically cover the following topics: The nature of pandemic influenza and its impacts Roles and responsibilities Resources Systems of surveillance for monitoring the spread of influenza Prevention and control measures Public health measures Management of anti-virals and vaccines Communications Links to these activities can be found at: What are our roles as industry leaders and businesses? The most important interface for Canadians is that between themselves, their workplaces, and the stores and restaurants that they frequent. Our role as industry is to ensure that employees are aware of the facts and activities which we are implementing in our organizations, and to be able to talk to our customers openly about the realities of planning activities, and that we have in place practices to help mitigate the effects of an influenza pandemic. It is important to talk amongst each other, share information, interact with municipal health authorities and governments, and create awareness amongst employees. The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) is participating in different forums which provide information and create awareness including: PS/PHAC Private Sector Working Group Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Pandemic Subcommittee CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 12 September 2007

13 Canada Border Services Agency s Border Commercial Consultative Committee Business Resumption Protocols Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition The role of CPMA in an event such as an influenza pandemic will focus primarily on problem solving, information gathering, information dissemination and providing an interface for our industry with federal government agencies and other industry associations from other countries and within Canada. These include work with the: Private Sector Working Group on Pandemic Influenza a forum hosted by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Public Safety Canada Agri-food Pandemic Planning Subcommittee CPMA co-chairs this industry/government working group with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. The purpose of this Subcommittee is to identify challenges and find and develop solutions for the food supply chain in the event of an emergency event such as an influenza pandemic Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition The Coalition s members identified pandemic planning as a priority for the Coalition, and the Coalition has become engaged in the two forums noted above on behalf of its membership. The purpose of this involvement is to provide an avenue for information and communication flow between government agencies and the food industry in the event of an influenza pandemic, and to bring forward identified challenges to government on behalf of the Coalition membership. Continuity of business and consistency of communication will be essential in this type of situation, and CPMA is also working on its own internal preparedness activities to ensure that our business, working on behalf of our membership, can continue in an emergency event. Individual organizations can become involved in several different ways. Organizations can: Interact directly with municipal governments Several like-minded organizations can form a coalition, share information and provide feedback to provincial and national associations and to government agencies Organizations can participate in municipal, regional, provincial and/or federal pandemic/emergency planning committees Participate in the work of regional and national associations, provide feedback and direction The most important aspect of preparedness planning is to begin now! The flow of information will be stressed in a pandemic situation, and the relationships and communications channels which are developed in advance will be invaluable to ensure that the business of organizations continues. It should be considered that there may be limited independent access to government agencies, and linking with provincial and national associations will be key to ensuring information flow to and from provincial and federal governments. It may be that associations may have more access than individual companies to federal government personnel. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 13 September 2007

14 General Practices These general practices are those that each organization, regardless of the nature of their operations, may wish to consider in their preparedness planning. Senior Management The leaders in establishing confidence in an organization will be the senior management of an organization. The level of commitment that they dedicate to preparedness planning is not dependent in any way on the size of the organization. Whether a 2-person or 200-person operation, senior management can develop an Emergency Response Team which will be vital in leading the organization through a pandemic crisis. A number of tough decisions and tradeoffs will need to be made from senior officials. In some cases, the desire to do the right thing will need to be reconciled with the requirement to be fiscally responsible. Recommendations: The Emergency Response Team should: 1. Review the many recommendations and ideas contained within this document to reach a consensus about the vision and steps that should be undertaken. 2. Develop an appropriate set of trigger points. This should probably involve outside expertise both in the planning and invocation of each trigger point. 3. For each trigger point, develop the appropriate check lists to ensure that plans are well executed and coordinated. 4. Implement policies that minimize the chance that all members of Senior Management are unavailable at the same time. For example, avoid having members of the Senior Management Team in the same room. 5. Document a precise chain of command so that, no matter how many people get sick, it is clear to everyone who is ultimately running the company until the normal leaders return to duty. 6. Develop a plan that addresses how the company recovers after the crisis period is finally over. 7. Implement a process to oversee the implementation of the approved actions that need to be undertaken in preparation for a pandemic. 8. Provide guidelines to the company on appropriate behaviours during the crisis. For example, the need to cooperate with the competitors in the interest of public safety should override the normal goal of gaining a competitive advantage. Decision makers will want to know how to properly think about such issues. 9. Recognize that it is vital that any information given to consumers, customers, suppliers or employees must be accurate and concise. All information which will be disseminated to others should be double-checked for accuracy. 10. Anticipate any expectations that the local community may have of your organization. Investigate the potential of these demands and how your organization would interact with the community. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 14 September 2007

15 11. Recognize that during the crisis, employees will want more visibility from the Senior Management Team. We need to develop a communications mechanism to permit frequent communiqués from Senior Management. Human Resources It is estimated that during a pandemic 15 to 35 percent of the population will become sick and be unable to go to school or work. This does not include those that may contract the virus and feel ill, but continue their usual activities. The most significant impact of an influenza pandemic on the private sector is likely to be disruption due to employee absenteeism. Employees will be off work due to sickness or having to stay home and care for sick family members. Schools may also be closed forcing parents to stay home and care for children. Personal hygiene (hand washing, covering nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing), environmental cleaning (rigorous cleaning of all hard surfaces in the workplace), social distancing (avoiding crowds) and possibly screening workers to exclude ill persons, are all strategies aimed at keeping the workforce healthy. Though these measures may mitigate the spread of influenza, the demands on human resources may be significantly increased. Employees, who are responsible for human resource protocols, etc., may become overwhelmed with the additional demands on their time. Some human resources work, such as issuing benefits statements, can be suspended, but the net result will be a significantly increased workload. Recommendations: 1. Develop an emergency set of procedures that can be used in a crisis. This should include: o Streamlined hiring policies o Short-term disability o Work from home policies o Time off policy o Emergency employee assistance policy o Medical policy o Death in family policy o Miscellaneous crisis policies o Paycheque distribution 2. Establish an Employee Call Centre 3. Identify a source for incremental HR resources. Some may be allocated internally. In some cases, outside resources may be necessary. 4. Engage unions, where appropriate, representing company employees in a discussion regarding pandemic planning and measures being taken to protect employees. Seek dialogue and cooperation to manage employee issues during a pandemic. Employee Relations Employees will face many needs to tend to themselves and their families. In addition to the illness itself, other factors such as school closings, care for ill loved ones, and generally managing life, will place additional demands and stress on many employees. Although this will occur over a month period, there will be peaks and employee absenteeism will be inconsistent. For planning purposes, we should assume that, at times, some departments might need to operate at a 50% staffing level. PHAC and PS both advise in the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan that the anticipated absenteeism rate would be 20 to 25%, but may be higher for some industry sectors. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 15 September 2007

16 Part-time and lower pay positions will be harder hit than others. For example, it is reasonable to conclude that many two-income households will decide that the risk of exposure outweighs the incremental income. This could have a severe impact on the food industry in particular. Restaurant wait staff, truckers, warehouse employees, line workers, farm labourers, etc., are all essential to the successful operation of our businesses, and will need to be cared for in the event of a pandemic. All organizations should consider their staffing requirements and the roles of staff in their preparedness planning. For example, if a farm depends upon migrant workers for planting or harvest, farm operators will need to consider if those staff resources will be available. Employees will face a natural conflict between the need to earn money and the need to protect themselves and their family. It is reasonable to conclude that employees will react to this in a wide variety of ways: Some employees will refuse to show up. Some employees will want to come to work and remain at work as a way to earn money, protect their family from exposure and to serve the company. Some employees will want to work even though they exhibit symptoms of the flu. Some employees will use the flu as an excuse to avoid showing up. Some employees will refuse to seek health care for fear of contracting the flu at the doctor s office. Some employees will expect the company to provide them with food. Some employees will refuse to drive into certain geographical locations hard hit by the virus. Advance planning by owners and managers will be critical to protecting employees' health, limiting negative economic impacts, and ensuring the continued delivery of essential services like food, medicine, water and power. Government alone will not be able to provide answers to all of the issues facing Canadians in the event of a pandemic. It will be up to every organization to prepare its own continuity plan. Recommendations: 1. Thoroughly review employee issues and develop an emergency set of procedures in advance of a pandemic. Current employee policies are very likely to become instantly obsolete during a pandemic. 2. Implement a corporate wide program to determine which functions are critical during the pandemic and which functions are nonessential. 3. Implement appropriate cross-training programs in advance of the pandemic. 4. Develop a best practices plan so that employees minimize the odds of spreading the flu. This could include such things as: a. Avoid face-to-face discussions b. Communicate via and voice only c. Hold meetings via conference calling d. Implement Instant Messaging (IM) as a real time communications alternative. 5. Identify jobs that will likely face extreme shortages due to increased demand, (e.g. truck drivers) and those jobs that will likely face extreme surpluses (wait staff due to decreased business at restaurants). 6. Develop an emergency plan for reallocating employees to other functions where they are needed. A high level, macro plan is required that looks across the entire corporate enterprise. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 16 September 2007

17 7. Develop a plan specific to drivers. Consider the options (shift food service drivers to wholesale grocery delivery, partner with organizations that will have surplus drivers, adjust driver pay if necessary). 8. Develop a plan for communicating with employees during the pandemic. This needs to include communicating to employees both at work and at home. Consider how the internet could be used to simplify this task. 9. Build an employee database for tracking critical information relating to the flu. It may be appropriate to design and build this database in advance of the pandemic. During a pandemic, it will be crucial to know which employees are currently sick, those who have survived and are immune, those who have lost family members, etc. 10. Start a dialog with health care workers to develop emergency plans and procedures. This should include careful attention to situations in which it is not possible for employees to get the healthcare they need. 11. Examine impact and expectations of employee-related costs such as direct medical costs, paid sick time, extended leave, meeting special employee needs, etc. 12. Examine opportunities to have emergency backup for jobs that are likely to be in short supply. This may be accomplished either through cross training or partnering with other organizations that will likely have a surplus supply of skilled labour. 13. Develop a plan to shift appropriate jobs to home offices and the necessary procedures to perform business process in such a distributed fashion. For those jobs that can be adequately performed from home, identify necessary hardware, software, and connectivity requirements to support the plan. This should also consider what investments need to be made in advance of the pandemic (PCs, broadband access, concentrators, etc.). 14. Modify cafeteria and social workplace practices, as appropriate, to minimize the chance of spreading the virus. 15. In advance of a pandemic, implement 100% direct deposit. It will be helpful to eliminate the distribution and handling of paycheques. 16. Based on potential employee reallocation of duties, identify and provide incremental training such that these employees will be prepared for their emergency role. 17. As appropriate, have computer-based-training (CBT) readily available to simplify the task of assigning employees to new tasks. 18. Educate staff about the realities of a pandemic influenza, how they can protect themselves and their families, use of masks and availability of antivirals, and company policies. 19. Scan the workforce for potential emergency drivers. Numerous employees previously held Class C licenses. Develop plans to enable these employees to serve as drivers. 20. Develop a plan to staff human resources. Many HR functions will be under extreme pressure. Incremental resources to handle the work will likely be needed. This plan should include halting all non-essential HR functions. 21. Consider whether dedicated physicians or physician-assistants would be appropriate for the company. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 17 September 2007

18 22. Develop a plan for implementing an emergency call centre that employees can contact for information and special needs. 23. Consider the need to begin familiarizing employees with the pandemic issue and provide the appropriate message. This needs to weigh the value of providing insight into the potential issue against the fear of needlessly alarming employees. 24. Communicate to employees that in a pandemic situation, there is the potential for shifting of duties and that there is the expectation that everyone will pull together to get through the crisis. 25. In the event of major fuel shortages caused by the interruption to international trade, develop a plan to help employees get to work. 26. Examine the legal ramifications of a pandemic and implement appropriate steps to minimize exposure. 27. Determine how short-term disability might need to be modified. Media In the past 300 years there have been 10 documented pandemics though only three of these instances have a comprehensive level of data associated with them. However, the next influenza pandemic represents the first event since the advent of the internet and 24/7 news networks. There is no doubt it will result in an intense focus by the news media as the pandemic spreads. The result will be an increase in consumer sensitivities to the situation. It will be important that organizations be prepared for both the reality of the situation as well as many false perceptions based on non-stop media hype. It is very important that media relations are effectively managed. Recommendations: 1. Prepare a media point person who is well versed with the issue. 2. Encourage industry groups to be prepared to help manage the media. 3. Establish a daily process to stay abreast of most recent developments with trusted sources. 4. Re-emphasize to all employees the procedure to follow when approached by the media. 5. Communicate to non-employees who may be approached by the media that they must not speak on behalf of your organization unless authorized to do so. 6. Take a proactive role in providing the media with good information about the food supply and food safety. 7. Set up a mechanism to ensure that any information that is passed to the media is as accurate as possible. Consumers Fed by significant media attention as well as potential ambiguity and uncertainty in information being broadly communicated, consumers may overreact or exhibit irrational behaviour. During the initial months there may be a number of specific consumer behavioural shifts. Some of the key changes will include: CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 18 September 2007

19 Avoidance of dining out. Consolidation of trips to the store by purchasing much larger quantities of product in fewer visits, likely leading to greater use of debit and credit card transactions. Preference towards non-perishable and pre-packaged goods. Preference towards buying in bulk. Desire to buy case quantities of certain items. Spike in demand for certain HBC/anti-bacterial products (whether or not they are effective). Demand for masks and gloves. (whether they are recommended or not) Strong demand for Internet Shopping. Strong interest in home delivery. Strong demand for self-checkout. Avoidance of non-essential retail stores. Some consumers will attempt to stockpile product (similar to Y2K experience). Strong desire to get accurate information. Demand to see employees wearing masks and gloves. Demand to see anti-bacterial wipes and tissue at check-out (whether or not they are effective). Demand for country-of-origin information throughout the store. Avoidance of products made outside of Canada. Other countries may experience this phenomenon also. Demand that employees who survived the virus, and are safe, be easily identifiable. As schools and day cares shut down caregivers will be at home and not at work. Some consumers may conclude that certain large national chains may pose additional health risks because they import many products from Southeast Asia. Recommendations: 1. Prepare to increase the capacity for ordering through the Internet. 2. Develop a detailed plan that identifies the products that should be carried during the pandemic. 3. Increase the possibility for consumers to use self-checkout counters. 4. Investigate feasibility to support an Internet-Only model of operation in which orders can be placed via the Internet and individuals can drive to a specific location for pickup. 5. Identify partners who can provide home delivery options as an extension to Internet Shopping. 6. Develop a plan to identify which foodservice products could be moved to retail to meet the need for bulk buying. 7. Provide up-to-date messages for the consumer that answer critical questions. Security If there is a public panic, and if shortage of product develops, there may be a need to significantly increase the level of security for your operation. Recommendations: 1. During a pandemic, increase security measures on premises. 2. Develop emergency procedures to protect vulnerable employees and assets. This includes store personnel, drivers, trailers, etc. Some ideas include: CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 19 September 2007

20 a. Is it possible to make it less obvious that our rolling stock is hauling food? b. Consider taking drivers out of uniform c. Develop a plan to avoid standard routes 3. Advise business partners of the need for additional security. Information Systems The key role for the Information Systems personnel will be to keep the critical applications and infrastructure running and to support the organization through support of the information technology framework used by individual organizations. Recommendations: 1. Prepare for the crisis by developing necessary applications and capabilities in advance of a pandemic. Work with individual components of your organization to determine these requirements. This would likely include tracking databases, communication mechanisms, etc. 2. Permit only the most critical changes to information systems during a pandemic situation, as most information outages are caused by change. Government In a pandemic situation, the federal and provincial governmental agencies will take control. Typically slow-moving bureaucracies will create conflicts with the demand for rapid resolution of issues. Initially, the result will be highly inconsistent, and there may be the development of well intentioned, but poorly conceived policies and/or regulations which will add to the level of confusion. To mitigate this situation, it will be important to interface effectively with all levels of government to ensure that they are aware and cognizant of the realities of the food production and distribution system in Canada. Recommendations: 1. Identify the key contacts your organization may need within provincial and municipal governments responsible for agriculture, food, transportation and health, and start building relationships. It is critical to try to understand which agencies will be making which decisions, and this needs to be documented. 2. Work with the government and others in the industry to begin to develop the necessary plans to deal with a pandemic. 3. Consider the potential for the federal government to freeze pricing. Industry should consider the point at which they could set reasonable prices that recognize the likely evaporation of all previously established business contracts and the increased costs of operating in a crisis environment. The goal should be fully focused on being fair and ethical. 4. Lobby the government to develop emergency procedures that would let the food industry continue to function. 5. Identify the key contacts/agencies in local government in each municipality/county who make decisions regarding schools, hospitals, etc. Finance The global economy will be significantly disrupted. Stock markets will be significantly impacted in the short term, and overall, the economy may go through a period of uncertainty. Banks will seek CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 20 September 2007

21 to minimize their risks, and it would behoove organizations to investigate the financial aspect of an emergency situation with their financial advisors and financial institutions. Recommendations: 1. Develop a plan to maintain or increase your borrowing capacity in order to survive the crisis. 2. Develop a strategy to deal with potential disruptions to the credit/debit networks. 3. Consider developing a plan that, at a specific trigger point, moves pension funds into more appropriate investments. 4. Renegotiations of any financial arrangements should be undertaken well in advance of the expiration of current policies 5. Review insurance policies and discuss preparedness planning with insurance companies. Consider the impact on your organization if the insurance company folds. 6. Consideration should be given to consumers potentially being unable to pay for purchases either because they are not working or technology (debit centres) are not working. Legal During the initial phase of the pandemic, it is likely that the country will pull together to deal with the crisis. As things begin to settle down, there will certainly be some attempts to exploit the situation. In light of this, it is vital that all legal implications and situations be examined and contingencies are planned. Recommendations: 1. Consider potential lawsuits that would result from emergency actions and implement reasonable steps to protect the organization against litigation. 2. Monitor compliance against established contracts. 3. Develop a backup plan for legal resources. 4. Consider legalities associated with partners working together to secure the food supply chain and distribution of food in emergency situations. For example, if you are working with your competitors, can price and product quantity restrictions be discussed as a team under these emergency circumstances? Sector Specific Practices/Considerations This section of the Guide outlines very briefly specific considerations which separate sectors of the food supply chain may wish to consider in their preparedness planning activities. All Suppliers Disruptions to the supply chain and product shortages will become the norm. There will probably be fuel shortages, which will lead to a narrowing of the scope of transportation services available. Depending upon the nature of a supplier s operation, the impact of an influenza pandemic on the supply of ingredients, inputs or product to a supplier may vary. There will be significant disruptions to production capabilities as well as distribution networks. It should be noted that the suppliers that other suppliers rely on will also be facing similar challenges. Even obscure CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 21 September 2007

22 shortages, such as packaging material, will negatively impact the suppliers ability to provide product. Suppliers may wish to consider the following: 1. Identify core items that will be critical not only to your operation but also to the food supply during a pandemic. 2. Develop a pandemic trigger point and procedure for core items. When the trigger point is activated, have a ready set of purchase orders for the core items ready for instant release. 3. Negotiate with key suppliers and customers, as appropriate, to attempt to gain reasonable commitments. 4. Develop procedures to restrict the amount of product that each customer can draw from the warehouse to try to keep a consistent, though less diverse, flow of product to all customers. 5. Develop emergency product substitution rules. 6. Perform a geographic analysis to examine ways that supplies could be shifted to a more local or regional supply chain in the event that international and national distribution may be disrupted. 7. Influence the government, through regional, provincial and national associations, as appropriate to ensure that there is an equitable distribution of scarce products. 8. Leverage relationships with key suppliers and customers to jointly plan for smooth distribution during a pandemic. 9. Develop a plan to coordinate backhaul strategies to help address shortages. Consider alternative pickup locations that may be used in the event certain locations are more severely impacted. Grower/Shipper Operators Grower/Shipper operators will have some very unique considerations which they may need to incorporate into their preparedness planning. Though the absenteeism rate may be less in rural areas than in urban areas due to relative population densities, growers will need to consider not only the current impact of a pandemic on their operations but also how this will impact on next year s growing season. Grower/Shippers may want to consider: 1. Tracking the state of an influenza pandemic on countries from which migrant labour is sourced. 2. Establishing policies in the event that migrant workers are currently working and the impact of an influenza pandemic on the individual worker and/or family in the home country. 3. Stockpiling of any agricultural inputs which are dependant upon an open border. 4. Monitoring the impact of the pandemic on seasonally required items such as fertilizer and seed. 5. Shifting product forms, if possible, (fresh to frozen/canned) and product destinations depending upon demand. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 22 September 2007

23 6. Forming cooperative transportation teams to increase the efficiency of shipping. 7. Closing the communications loop with end users (wholesale/retail/foodservice operators) to ensure that expectations and ability to meet those expectations are clear and well understood, and to ensure that any shift in supply is communicated early on. 8. Review current and establish future flexible contracts in the event of a pandemic. Repacker/Wholesale Operators Repack and wholesale operations may work with imported produce, domestic produce, or a mix of both. As such, repack/wholesale operators can provide a very valuable link between growers and retail/foodservice operators, and importers/exporters. Repack and wholesale operations are dependent completely on their suppliers, and their customers. When combined with the perishable nature of fresh produce, and the just-in-time delivery of product, the impact of delays in transport, loss of supplier, or loss of buyer will be severe. Repacker/Wholesale Operators may wish to consider: 1. Engage in market information gathering and analysis of potential shifts in market demand and supply to better plan for future contingency 2. Developing relationships/contingency agreements with secondary processors to determine potential alternative markets to sell product 3. Engage with regional Canada Border Services Agency and inspection officials 4. Engage with regional Associations 5. Becoming involved in wholesale of other goods to help maintain stream of necessary supplies for food supply chain. Warehouses and Transportation In an attempt to limit the number of visits they must make to the grocery store, consumers will increase the amount of groceries they buy significantly. This will put a tremendous strain on replenishment capabilities in the period immediately following the onset of the flu. Employee absenteeism in the transportation and distribution sectors could have a very real potential of compounding the challenges of ensuring the food supply chain. Despite the many disruptions that the pandemic will bring, it is imperative that a plan exists to ensure that product keeps moving. For warehouse and transportation services, organizations may wish to consider: 1. Coordinate with buyers to ensure that any increased demand for certain products is known in advance so that product can be secured for emergency storage. It is important that the core items be identified well in advance of the pandemic. 2. Develop emergency check-in, delivery and receiving procedures to minimize human contact between drivers and warehouse personnel. 3. Develop alternative routing plans that reduce the number of deliveries and increase the efficiencies of transportation. 4. Develop plans to minimize the potential for a fuel shortage which will be especially likely during the initial panic period. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 23 September 2007

24 5. Develop policies to deal with drivers that may refuse routes into certain geographic areas, monitor those employees and drivers who have had the flu, and therefore will be resistant to re-infection.. 6. Investigate the potential to secure housing for critical employees that prefer to stay away from their families. 7. Develop cooperative arrangements with other grower/shippers and distributors to keep the food supply chain functioning. 8. Develop backup plans in the event that product cannot be supplied by regular routes. 9. Consider using excess distribution capacity to help in other emergency areas (for example, medical supplies). 10. Develop a relationship with organizations such as the Red Cross who may have need for surplus product and assist as they carry out their duties. 11. Consider plans to have an adequate inventory of critical parts to keep machinery, equipment and transport operating effectively, as machine parts may be in short supply. 12. Encourage product substitutions to ensure that supply and demand can be shifted to ensure food gets to consumers. Fresh cut Processors If there is a significant shift from consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables to non-perishable forms of product, such as canned vegetables, certain types of product may experience lower than normal demand. Fresh cut processors may wish to consider the following: 1. Begin discussions with other food processing companies to determine capacity to shift product lines, increase secondary processing capacity, etc. 2. Determine alternative end users of fresh produce, such as foodservice operations, emergency centres, hospitals, community food depots, etc. Retailers Retail and foodservice outlets will have a very different role from those operations that supply them. These outlets provide a direct interface between industry and the Canadian public. The situation may be quite difficult for the independent grocer. Independent grocers will be facing the same issues impacting large distribution and retail centres, but will have far fewer resources at their disposal. In many cases, illness (or death) to one or two key individuals would deliver a knock out punch to the store. Independent grocers may wish to develop relationships and agreements with wholesale grocery distribution centres to ensure that they also have a supply of product. Retailers may wish to consider the following: 1. Identify items that should be offered in case quantities (in response to potential increased demand) and identify foodservice product that could be sold at retail. 2. Research the potential to use the excess capacity that will be available at restaurants to serve the requirements of emergency health care facilities that will need to be feeding people. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 24 September 2007

25 3. Develop plans to deal with consumer demands for special precautions (masks, gloves, cleaning procedures, etc.). 4. Identify critical corporate functions and services which would create store vulnerabilities if disrupted. Develop appropriate plans to minimize these risks. 5. Develop plans to deal with product and labour shortages. This may include restricting store hours. In some cases, it may be necessary to consolidate and temporarily close some stores. 6. Develop potential store consolidation plans. This needs to involve the wholesale company s dispatch personnel. 7. Develop emergency plans to minimize unnecessary vendor time on the sales floor. 8. Develop emergency policies to minimize unnecessary retail visits from corporate personnel. This would include restricting repair and maintenance of equipment to only essential work. 9. Revise receiving procedures to avoid human contact between the driver and the receiving personnel. 10. Consider shifting store duties such that more work is performed during hours that the store is closed to minimize human contact between consumers and employees. 11. Consider the impact of how the store will run as the consumer shifts preferences towards self check-out and Internet Shopping. 12. Consider how we can meet a consumer demand for home delivery. Can partnerships be made with other organizations to meet increased demand? 13. Develop a cash handling strategy to deal with the potential that armoured security service is disrupted. 14. Develop a mechanism to permit dispatch to closely coordinate with retail stores as routes and hours of operation change. Foodservice Operators The impact on foodservice establishments may be particularly severe. Consumers may avoid restaurants, and will avoid leaving home. Establishments that do home delivery may be the exception, and in response to rising demand, may become overwhelmed by the use of the home delivery/takeout service that they offer. Health care providers will have increased demand for food products to feed sick people. There may be temporary health care facilities organized, (i.e. school auditoriums, convention centres, town recreational centres, etc.), which would need to feed people, but may not have the facilities to do so. There may be the opportunity to use the excess food preparation capacity in restaurants to service these temporary health care facilities. In previous emergencies, large restaurant chains have actually provided free food to consumers to help them deal with the crisis. Foodservice operators may want to consider the following: 1. Coordinate a plan to use excess capacity to serve the increased demand for health care meals. Consider the issues that will result in the preparation and distribution of meals. 2. Identify foodservice items which could be sold through grocery distribution supply chains. Develop a plan to move excess foodservice product to retail. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 25 September 2007

26 3. Establish contacts with churches and other community facilities which may need to provide a distribution point for getting food supplies to consumers. 4. Consider pooling resources with other foodservice establishments to increase efficiency of delivery of orders to homes and other establishments. 5. Consider establishing agreements with other food supply organizations to share human resources. With a decrease in business, there may be a corresponding decrease in the hours available to employees. However, those employees could be shifted to other establishments and tasks, such as delivery people assisting in retail outlets, waiters and waitresses assisting in community emergency centres, cooks and chefs assisting in kitchens for health care facilities, etc. SUMMARY It is anticipated that this Guide and the associated practices and resource materials will be considered living documents, being updated on an ongoing basis to reflect the latest knowledge available to the Canadian Produce Marketing Association. The CPMA will continue to work independently and with our partners, on pandemic influenza planning and other aspects of emergency management to ensure that our membership and industry at large are provided with the tools and information necessary for the continuity of their businesses. CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 26 September 2007

27 APPENDIX ONE KEY WEBSITES International World Health Organization n/index.html U.S. Centre for Disease Control (CDC) PandemicFlu.gov New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development National Pandemic Influenza Portal - Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada o o Phone: o o PHAC_Web_Mail@phac-aspc.gc.ca A Guide to Business Continuity Planning - Health Canada o Latest Headlines, Advisories and Warnings - o Global Pandemic Influenza Readiness - Local Health Canada Phone Numbers Travel Advisories Public Health Agency of Canada o Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan - o FluWatch Reports - o Immunization and Vaccines - Canada Health Portal Newsroom - SafeCanada.ca Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety - Canadian Food Inspection Agency Provincial and Territorial Emergency Management Organizations (EMOs) Alberta Emergency Management Alberta Tel: Fax: Web site: British Columbia CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 27 September 2007

28 Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) Phone: (250) Fax: (250) Web site: Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization Phone: (204) Toll-free: 1 (888) Fax: (204) Web site: New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization Phone: (506) Toll-free: 1 (800) Fax: (506) Web site: Newfoundland & Labrador Emergency Measures Division Phone: (709) Fax: (709) Web site: Northwest Territories Emergency Measures Organization Phone: (867) Fax: (867) Web site: Nova Scotia Emergency Measures Organization Phone: (902) Fax: (902) Web site: Nunavut Nunavut Emergency Management Phone: (867) Fax: (867) Ontario Ontario Emergency Management Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services 77 Wellesley St. West, Box 222 Toronto, ON M7A 1N3 Phone: (416) Fax: (416) Web site: emo.html Prince Edward Island Emergency Measures Organization Phone: (902) Fax: (902) Web site: CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 28 September 2007

29 Québec Direction générale de la sécurité civile et de la sécurité incendie Phone: (418) Fax: (418) Regional offices: Gatineau : (819) Montréal: (514) Rimouski: (418) Trois-Rivières: (819) Phone: (306) Fax: (306) Web site: Saskatchewan Yukon Emergency Measures Organization Phone: (867) Toll free (In Yukon): 1 (800) Fax: (867) Web site: Other Provincial and Territorial Contacts Alberta Alberta Health and Wellness Alberta s Plan for Pandemic Influenza British Columbia British Columbia Ministry of Health BC Centre for Disease Control Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Plan Manitoba Manitoba Health Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health Preparing for Pandemic Influenza in Manitoba New Brunswick New Brunswick Department of Health and Wellness New Brunswick Pandemic Influenza Plan Newfoundland & Labrador Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Health and Community Services Northwest Territories Government of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Programs CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 29 September 2007

30 Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Department of Health Nunavut Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services Ontario Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Ontario Health Plan for an Influenza Pandemic HealthyOntario.com Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island Department of Health and Social Services Quebec Santé et Services sociaux Québec Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Health Influenza Avian Flu Pandemic Fact Sheet Yukon Yukon Health and Social Services CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 30 September 2007

31 APPENDIX TWO INFORMATION MATERIAL 1. Understanding Pandemic Influenza 2. Pandemic Flu and You 3. Flu Prevention Checklist 4. Is it Important to Wash Your Hands? 5. Finding Reliable Information During a Pandemic CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 31 September 2007

32

33 Pandemic Flu and You: Get Informed, Stay Informed How would your community respond to a flu pandemic or other health emergency? What impact would this have on you and your family? And how can you keep track of the latest developments? Understanding the potential challenges you may face in your community in the event of a flu pandemic can help you to plan and prepare for a variety of possible outcomes. Get Informed About What services may be disrupted Services provided by health care facilities - like hospitals, clinics and doctors' offices - may be reduced or unavailable. If you or any family member requires ongoing medical treatment through one of these facilities, speak to them about developing a contingency plan. For other health care needs, keep a list of medically related telephone numbers close at hand (e.g. provincial or territorial health information lines, city or municipal public health department contacts). Banks may be closed, and cash machines and credit card services may not work, so - if possible - keep some cash at home for necessary purchases. Stores (e.g. grocery stores, pharmacies) and restaurants may be closed or have limited supplies, so create an emergency stockpile of food, water and other necessities for your home. You should already have an emergency kit and an emergency plan. Childcare facilities and schools may also close, so consider other options for childcare in the event you are required to continue working. Transportation services may be disrupted. If you use public transportation to get to work or to travel to others who rely on your care, consider developing a contingency plan to deal with these situations. Pandemic plans at your workplace Find out if your place of employment has a Business Continuity Plan to address how it will operate during an event like a flu pandemic. Read over the plan to familiarize yourself with any potential changes in operations and how they would impact your responsibilities. Explore the option of working from home. This may help lessen the spread of the flu in the workplace, as well as help solve childcare and transportation problems. If you have people who report to you, gather information you think they will need to know. This could include leave policies, options for working from home, what to do if employees become ill at work, and who to contact if they become ill at home or have to stay home to care for others. Make this information available in a handout, through internal or post it on the company Intranet site. What's being done at the local, provincial and national level? In order to determine how your community will take action during a flu pandemic, visit your city or municipal website or call the public health department and ask if a pandemic plan has been established. If one exists, ask for a copy or download it (if applicable). You can do the same at the provincial/territorial level. A national plan is available at Stay Informed Make a list of sources you can go to for reliable, up-to-date information during a flu pandemic. Follow local and national news casts on radio and/or television and read the newspaper. In addition, each province/territory and municipality will have information posted on their website. Find these sites and bookmark them on your computer for easy access. For national information, go to or call Source: CPMA Guide to Pandemic Planning Page 33 September 2007

34