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Red Cross to feed city's flu - Crisis plan needs helpers
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060903/NEWS01/609030327/1010
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060903/NEWS01/609030327/1010
By Jeff Burlew
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
In the event of a worldwide flu outbreak, families could be cooped up in their homes for weeks, and food could disappear from grocery store shelves.
But the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is taking steps to make sure families in the Big Bend will have food, even if they are quarantined. The agency is looking for restaurants, caterers and others to submit proposals on how much food they could supply in a pandemic and how much they would charge.
"We want anyone who is in the food-preparation business to go to our ... Web site and give us a proposal," said Chris Floyd, emergency-services director.
To submit a proposal electronically, go to the Mass Care Web site at www.tallytown.com/redcross/mc.html. Since it's an ongoing effort, there is no deadline.
Health officials are concerned that the avian flu, which is spread among birds, could mutate into a form that could spread easily between people. The current avian flu outbreak started in Southeast Asia in 2003 and since has spread to other parts of the world.
Flu pandemics have happened before. In 1918, a deadly strain of the flu spread from the U.S. to Europe. Some have estimated that as many as 100 million people died worldwide.
Leon County health officials have estimated that nearly 80,000 people in the county could become sick in the event of a pandemic. The number of deaths could approach 4,000. People could be forced to stay in their homes for up to six weeks, and the pandemic could disrupt shipments of food to the area.
Floyd also said people should plan now for a possible pandemic, which means having four to six weeks worth of water and nonperishable food. He described pandemic planning as "hurricane planning on steroids."
"We truly need to be making ourselves aware of the fact that we will have another influenza pandemic," he said.
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER
In the event of a worldwide flu outbreak, families could be cooped up in their homes for weeks, and food could disappear from grocery store shelves.
But the Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is taking steps to make sure families in the Big Bend will have food, even if they are quarantined. The agency is looking for restaurants, caterers and others to submit proposals on how much food they could supply in a pandemic and how much they would charge.
"We want anyone who is in the food-preparation business to go to our ... Web site and give us a proposal," said Chris Floyd, emergency-services director.
To submit a proposal electronically, go to the Mass Care Web site at www.tallytown.com/redcross/mc.html. Since it's an ongoing effort, there is no deadline.
Health officials are concerned that the avian flu, which is spread among birds, could mutate into a form that could spread easily between people. The current avian flu outbreak started in Southeast Asia in 2003 and since has spread to other parts of the world.
Flu pandemics have happened before. In 1918, a deadly strain of the flu spread from the U.S. to Europe. Some have estimated that as many as 100 million people died worldwide.
Leon County health officials have estimated that nearly 80,000 people in the county could become sick in the event of a pandemic. The number of deaths could approach 4,000. People could be forced to stay in their homes for up to six weeks, and the pandemic could disrupt shipments of food to the area.
Floyd also said people should plan now for a possible pandemic, which means having four to six weeks worth of water and nonperishable food. He described pandemic planning as "hurricane planning on steroids."
"We truly need to be making ourselves aware of the fact that we will have another influenza pandemic," he said.