[Up Front] A Change of Mind

Years ago I traveled to Egypt to train flour millers about basic Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). It was quite an experience to travel to the Middle East and see the old city of Cairo. The students came from all over the Middle East and Africa. They were full of questions, which always makes training easy.
When I arrived in Cairo I headed downtown and took in the sights of the beautiful city, the people, the Nile River, the shops, etc. I noticed several soldiers around the communication buildings, the embassies, and my hotel. The heightened security level was new to me, but I understood and accepted the need. The Iranian Embassy had been overran just months before and I was sure that incident contributed to the increased security measures. 
Since the heat in Cairo is so intense in the day, the training session started very early. Arrangements had been made for a driver to pick me up at 5:00 a.m. That morning I woke up, ate breakfast, and arrived in the lobby 15 minutes early. After standing outside with my briefcase and boxes of slides for a few minutes I decided to go back inside to the air conditioning. I placed my briefcase and slides on the sidewalk just outside the windows to the lobby and went inside. In less than two minutes, I noticed a Fiat pull up quickly and stop. Two uniformed men jumped out of the car, retrieved a lead blanket from the trunk, and covered my briefcase and slides with it. When I realized what was happening, I immediately got their attention and tried to explain that the case and boxes were mine and there was nothing to worry about. Even though I did not speak their language, I understood they wanted me to pick my stuff up and follow them to the river. Then, I opened everything so they could inspect it. After the inspection they smiled and let me go back to the hotel.
In a region where bombs were not uncommon, armed officials were hiding around every street corner watching for and responding to potential threats. At first, this made me feel more secure. But, once I realized these officials were present because of a very real threat of terrorism, the feelings of security were replaced with fear.
In the food industry, terrorism has been difficult to address. Since September 11, 2001, our country has become a target. While many precautions have been taken to protect our nation we must change how we think. It is the food industry’s responsibility to make security a priority to protect products, our people, our profits, and our plants. I don’t like making this part of our job, but the reality is we owe it to all and it is expected.
Food facilities must develop programs to include the elements of food safety and security. We are no longer an island protected from attacks. Like the Egyptian officers, we need to be vigilant and establish programs to alert us of vulnerabilities. While technology is useful, front-line employees are the first line of defense. They must understand threats, be trained to respond, and be prepared to react. 
I don’t like to think about terrorist attacks. However, the threat is real and we need to prepare by developing food security programs and training our employee about the part they play in protecting our products, our people, our profits, and our plants. AIB

The author is Vice President of Food Safety Education, AIB.