Emergency/Disaster Preparedness
This page contains information and resources to help School Food Authorities plan, prepare and respond to emergencies and disasters (natural or manmade) that affect school food service operations.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Southeast Regional Office, reminds us of the resources available at the FNS Disaster Assistance website. On this website you will find the recently updated Disaster Nutrition Assistance Programs Brochure (FNS-483) which highlights information from the disaster fact sheets on the website all of the FNS disaster programs.
- September 7, 2017 Memo - Disaster Preparedness
- September 7, 2017 Memo to SN Admins - Providing Meals to Students Who Reside in or Are Evacuated from Disaster Areas
- Brochure - Plan for Emergencies...Ensure Children Continue Good Nutrition During Unexpected School Closures - Summer Nutrition Programs
- SP 36-2017 - Eligibility Manual for School Meals
- SP 55-2016 - Meal Service during Unanticipated School and Day Care Closures
- SP 46-2014 - Disaster Response
- Emergency Readiness Plan: Guide and Forms for the School Foodservice Operation (ICN)
- Emergency Readiness Plan: A Guide for the School Foodservice Operation
- Emergency Readiness Plan Forms
Includes:
- Contact Directory Template (Forms A-1 thru A-10)
- Local Community Resources (Forms B-1 thru B-3)
- Standard Operating Procedures (Forms C-1 thru C-5)
- Emergency Foodservice Inventory (Form D-1)
- Menus (Form E-1)
- Community Relief Organizations (Form F-1)
- Child Nutrition Programs During Disaster
- Disaster Nutrition Assistance
- A Consumer's Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms & Hurricanes
- Preparing for a Weather Emergency
- Biosecurity Checklist for School Foodservice Programs: Developing a Biosecurity Management Plan
- National Preparedness Month (www.ready.gov)
- North Carolina Critical Incident Response for School Faculty and Staff
- FEMA - Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans
- Updated Guidance for Homeless Children in the School Nutrition Programs (Apr 4, 2002)
- McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison Toolkit
- Question to Consider When Preparing for Crisis Situations
- Things to consider for Emergency Preparedness
Waiver Requests
06.02.2022 - Waiver Request for Summer Food Service Program FY 2021-22 and School Meal Programs for SY 2022-23
05.23.2022 - Summer Food Service and Seamless Summer Option Programs Waiver Request - Non-Congregate Meal Service for Outdoor Summer Meal Sites Experiencing Excessive Heat
Goal: Allow NCDPI to grant summer meal sponsors operating outdoor meal service at sites without a temperature-controlled alternative to provide a non-congregate meal service on days when the area experiences excessive heat or other exceptional circumstances.
2021 Summer Food Service and Seamless Summer Option Waiver Requests
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) announced today that it will request statewide waivers from the Food and Nutrition Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) of statutory and regulatory requirements in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO), in accordance with federal guidance. The waivers relate to the SFSP flexibilities and policies that were rescinded through Policy Memoranda SFSP 01-2019, Summer Food Service Program Memoranda Rescission; SFSP 03-2020, Meal Service During Unanticipated School Closures and the March 23, 2000, Policy Memorandum on determining sponsors for the current year administrative review schedule.
The following waivers have been submitted to the USDA for consideration. The goal of these waivers is to reinstate the rescinded flexibilities that allow for efficient and cost-effective program management and to reduce the administrative burden for sponsoring organizations and the State Agency.
- Waiver Request 1 - First Week SFSP Site Visits
Waiver of first week SFSP site visits for School Food Authorities and other sponsors in good standing, which operated experienced sites in good standing without a lapse in participation
- Waiver Request 2 - Extending Area Eligibility to Closed Enrolled Sites
Waiver extending area eligibility to closed enrolled sites for SFSP and SSO.
- Waiver Request 3 - Meal-time Restrictions
Waiver of meal-time restrictions; specifically, the minimum amount of time that must pass between meals and snacks and the duration of the meal service, with approval to be determined by the NCDPI on a case-by-case basis for SFSP and SSO.
- Waiver Request 4 - Extend SFSP Offer vs Serve
Waiver to extend SFSP Offer versus Serve to SFA and other sponsors, approval to be determined by the NCDPI
- Waiver Request 5 - Serve Meals during Unanticipated School Closures
Waiver to allow school sites to serve meals for reimbursement during unanticipated school closures in SFSP and SSO.
- Waiver Request 6 - Allow State Agency to conduct Site/Sponsor Administrative Reviews Off Site
Waiver to allow NCDPI and sponsors to conduct site/sponsor administrative reviews off site in the SFSP and SSO.