DCF Food For Florida Emergency Program Holds Mock Disaster Drill

June 7, 2014

Friday, the Florida Department of Children and Families completed a two-day mock disaster exercise of the Food for Florida program in Escambia County.

More than 100 employees participated in the exercise to test equipment and ensure the department is ready to quickly distribute food benefits to eligible families if a disaster strikes.

“We need to do everything possible to prepare for disasters so we can serve vulnerable Florida families when they need us most,” Interim Secretary Mike Carroll said. “Hurricane season can bring unexpected challenges to our state and this training allowed our department staff to be better equipped for a time of crisis.”

The Food for Florida program offers emergency food assistance to eligible victims of hurricanes or other types of disasters.  The last time DCF activated the program was in 2005, when Hurricane Wilma struck Florida.

The department has since streamlined the application and preregistration process using satellite and other wireless technologies.

The changes have positioned DCF to better serve disaster stricken Floridians and identify individuals who try to fraudulently obtain benefits during a time of crisis. The department launched a first-of-its-kind fraud prevention initiative to combat public assistance fraud last May and has seen unprecedented cost avoidance and increased security for Florida’s
public assistance clients.

Pictured: More than 100  Florida Department of Children and Families employees participated in a two-day mock disaster exercise of the Food for Florida program in Escambia County. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News