(FDA: Silver Spring, MD) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and federal partners has released the Food Related Emergency Exercise Boxed (FREE-B) set, a web-based collection of scenarios that will help government regulators, public health organizations, and the food industry test their readiness for food-related emergencies, such as a human health emergency caused by an unintentional contamination of produce with E. coli O157:H7.

FREE-B is a compilation of five scenarios designed to help test and develop food emergency response plans, protocols, and procedures. It will help food and agriculture stakeholders and emergency preparedness planners collaborate better with each other, neighboring jurisdictions, the food industry and federal agencies during food emergencies.

“Being prepared for any kind of emergency is critical to a rapid and effective response,” says Michael R. Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods. “FREE-B helps people think about their own responsibilities in a time of crisis and how to best work with others involved.”

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