The main objective of this proposed Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Cooperative Agreement is to provide radiological protection of food nationwide and within New York State (NYS), including activities related to research, surveillance, and emergency response. The proposed functions will be performed at the Wadsworth Center (WC), NYS Department of Health (DOH). WC is one of the most comprehensive state public health laboratories performing research and mandated testing in the areas of biomedical science, environmental science, and epidemiology. The WC's Division of Environmental Health Sciences (DEHS) is responsible for the analysis of environmental, food, and clinical samples for toxic chemicals and radioactivity. It is also the focus for laboratory activities in response to chemical and radiological threat related incidents. The WC develops and validates laboratory methods capable of measuring chemical and nuclear threat agents and also evaluates and accredits clinical and environmental laboratories throughout NYS. WC has successively participated in the FERN Cooperative Agreements within the radiological track in 2007- 2010 and 2010-2015. Our participation in the proposed FERN Cooperative Agreement Program 2015-2019 will focus on working with FERN National Program Office (NPO), Winchester Engineering and Analytical Center (WEAC), and all program participants on development of new and improved methods of alpha, beta, and gamma radioactivity detection in foods.
Specific aims will include participation in and organization of exercises, assignments, proficiency testing (PT), training, research, and surge capacity testing. The program may involve response to incidents of food contamination with radionuclides should they occur.
The Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) Cooperative Agreement funding will provide increased radiological laboratory testing capacity for food emergency events nationwide and within New York State (NYS). Analytical capability will be expanded through method development and validation to also improve response times for surveillance and during contamination events.
