Rapid Response Team (RRT) Program
![RRT logo RRT logo](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Screen-Shot-2020-09-21-at-11.55.13-PM.png)
Rapid Response Team (RRT) Program — 2020 Annual Meeting
The 2020 Annual Rapid Response Teams (RRT) Computer-to-Computer/Sea-to-Sea (C2C) meeting was held December 1-3, 2020 via the Pathable virtual meeting platform. This was the 12th annual RRT F2F meeting; it included 24 RRT states (18 funded, 6 unfunded/voluntary) and 15 FDA Districts (representing all 12 Human and Animal Food Divisions), as well as the Division of Southwest Imports. This multi-disciplinary meeting included various response partners from human and animal food regulatory/environmental health, epidemiology, laboratory, academia, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), FDA, CDC, USDA/APHIS, and USDA/FSIS. A total of 562 people attended the 2020 RRT C2C meeting, with 56% of attendees coming from state and local agencies and 43% of attendees from federal agencies.
![rrt_c2c](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rrt_c2c-300x286.png)
The theme for the meeting was ‘Sailing into a new decade of human and animal food rapid response excellence.’ In addition to panel presentations and lecture-based sessions, the meeting also featured a poster session (23 posters) and a ‘Speed Dating’ session (15 tables).
Top-rated presentations during meeting included panels on:
- Peeling Back the Layers: Salmonella Newport/Red Onions Multi-State Outbreak
- COVID-19 Clusters Linked to Food Facilities
- Lettuce Romaine Calm: STEC/Romaine Multi-State Outbreaks, Fall 2019
- Cyclospora Multi-State Outbreak
- There’s More Than Fungus Among Us: Listeria monocytogenes/Enoki Mushrooms Multi-State Outbreak
- E. coli O103/Sprouts – Integrated Enforcement Actions
To learn more about the RRT Program, visit the FDA RRT webpage.
2020 RRT Posters
![CalFERT_RRT C2C Mycotoxin Poster (1) California RRT (CalFERT)](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CalFERT_RRT-C2C-Mycotoxin-Poster-1.jpg)
California RRT (CalFERT) Poster
Development of an Improved Method of Sample Extraction and Quantitation of Multi-Mycotoxin in Feed by LC-MS/MS (view poster).
![iowa rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/iowa-rrt.jpg)
Iowa RRT Poster
An Outbreak of E. coli O103 Traced to Sprouts; Implications for the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (view poster).
![md-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/md-rrt.jpeg)
Maryland RRT (SMarRRT) Poster
E. coli O157 Outbreak Associated with Pre-Packaged Romaine Salad Bowls – Maryland 2019 (view poster).
![ma RRT](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ma-RRT.jpg)
Massachusetts RRT Poster
Low-Cost GIS Options for Tracking and Prioritizing Inspections (view poster).
![mdard rrt iowa-rrt.jpg](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mdard.jpg)
Michigan RRT Poster
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: Regulating and Responding—Special Coronavirus Edition (view poster).
![nc-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nc-rrt.jpeg)
North Carolina RRT
The Power of Us: Multiagency Partnership to Solve Outbreak in North Carolina (view poster).
![rhode island rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/rhode-island-rrt.jpg)
Rhode Island RRT
Multi-State Scombroid Outbreak Associated with Tuna: A Rhode Island Perspective (view poster).
![shoppers cards rrt shoppers cards rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/shoppers-cards.jpg)
Shopper History Outbreak Partnership
Shopper Cards and Beyond – Success Stories of Using Consumer Purchase Data to Solve Outbreaks (view poster).
![sc-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/sc-rrt.jpg)
South Carolina RRT
Virtual Inspections and Outreach in Response to COVID-19: Ensuring Food Safety When You Can’t Be There in Person (view poster).
![0001](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/0001.jpg)
Texas RRT (TRRT)
The Revolution will not be Re-labeled? The Public Health Implications of Social Media (view poster).
![usda rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/usda-rrt.jpg)
USDA FSIS
Results of the FY19 and FY20 FSIS Surveys of Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigation Partners – Improving Collaborative Response (view poster).
![washington rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/washington-rrt.jpg)
Washington RRT
Keeping the RRT “Fresh”: Lessons Learned on RRT Membership a Decade Post-Establishment (view poster).
![wisconsin rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/wisconsin-rrt.jpg)
Wisconsin RRT
Leveraging Food Protection Task Forces During a Food Related Incident, A case study of E. coli O157:H7 in romaine lettuce – November 2019 (view poster).
*A total of 23 posters were presented at the meeting, but only 21 received clearance from presenting agencies for public sharing.
Rapid Response Team (RRT) Program —
2019 Annual Meeting
The 2019 Annual Rapid Response Teams (RRT) Face to Face (F2F) meeting was held December 10-12, 2019 in Louisville, Kentucky. This was the 11th annual RRT F2F meeting; it included 24 RRT states (18 funded, 6 voluntary) and all 12 FDA Human and Animal Food Divisions, as well as the Division of Southwest Imports. It was the first meeting for 2 new RRTs: Connecticut and Kansas. This multi-disciplinary meeting included various response partners from food/feed regulatory/environmental health, epidemiology, laboratory, academia, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), FDA, Indian Health Service (IHS), CDC, and USDA/FSIS. A total of 200 people attended the 2019 RRT F2F meeting, with 51% of attendees coming from state and local agencies and 49% of attendees from federal agencies.
The theme for the meeting was ‘Off to the Races: RRTs in the Lead.’ In addition to panel presentations and lecture-based sessions, the meeting also featured a poster session (25 posters), two ‘Speed Dating’ sessions (10 tables at each of the one-hour sessions), and two tours of food facilities (a pork processing plant and a food bank). This year brought several firsts to the RRT F2F: a live episode of the Food Safety Talk podcast was recorded; and a half-day training was held after the general meeting concluded (Preparing Public Health Employees for Public Communication).
![2019 RRT F3F Logo 2019 RRT F3F Logo](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Screen-Shot-2020-09-21-at-11.15.04-PM.png)
Top-rated presentations during meeting included panels on:
- Salmonella/Pig Ears Multi-State Outbreak
- Cannabis/CBD in Foods Panel
- Hepatitis A Outbreak in Kentucky – Public Health & Food Program Response
- Large Scale Planned Events
- Cyclospora – a review of the investigations from the 2019 season
- Consumer Advisories, Press Releases and other Public Communications during Investigations: RRT Case Studies
- Best Practices for After Action Reviews
To learn more about the RRT Program, visit the FDA RRT webpage.
2019 RRT Posters
![kentucky-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/kentucky-rrt.png)
Kentucky RRT
Multistate Outbreak of Escherichia coli O103 Linked to Ground Beef, Kentucky Perspective (View poster)
![michigan-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/michigan-rrt.png)
Michigan RRT
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Sampling Team Exercises March – July 2019 (View poster)
![mrrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/mrrt.jpeg)
Missouri RRT (MRRT)
Information on Luster Dust Helps Missouri Tackle a Lead Case Regarding Food (View poster)
![new-york-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/new-york-rrt.png)
New York RRT
New York State Rapid Response Team: On the Job Experience to Full Preventive Controls Investigation (View poster)
![pennsylvania-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/pennsylvania-rrt.png)
Pennsylvania RRT
Pennsylvania Rapid Response Team: Salmonella Outbreak Related to Pig Ears (View poster)
![rhode-island-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rhode-island-rrt.png)
Rhode Island RRT
One Form, Two Forms, Food Forms, New Forms: Continuously Improving the RI RRT’s Outbreak Responses (View poster)
![virgina-rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/virgina-rrt.png)
Virginia RRT
Virginia’s RRT Egg-cellent Response to a Restaurant Associated Foodborne Outbreak (View poster)
![washington rrt](https://afdo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/washington-rrt.jpg)
Washington RRT
Washington RRT Annual Exercise: Intentional Contamination of Dry Cereal Product with Ricin (View poster)