NATSO Foundation launches H1N1 toolkit

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The NATSO Foundation today unveiled an online toolkit to help truckstop and travel plaza owners and the motoring public prepare for a potential disruption to business or travel plans due to an H1N1 outbreak.

Following the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ guidelines recommending that travelers and the businesses that cater to them create influenza plans, the NATSO Foundation launched a Web-based toolkit “H1N1 For No One.”

The kit draws on the top recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency. It is filled with industry-specific information on minimizing exposure risks and maintaining operations during a pandemic.

The kit also features suggestions on developing staffing contingency plans, serving ill travelers, and cleaning and sanitizing locations. The NATSO Foundation created a customer handout that can be downloaded from the site to keep professional drivers, fleet operators and travelers current on H1N1. Additional sections within the kit cover business insurance, flu vaccination clinics and best practices.

“Thousands of travelers rely on truckstops and travel plazas daily for food and fuel. We want the public to know that we are taking H1N1 seriously and are making the necessary preparations so we can continue to provide the level of service we are known for even if a pandemic occurs,” said Lisa Mullings, president of the NATSO Foundation.

The kit is available as a public service and is free for all truckstop and travel plaza operators. Learn more at www.natsofoundation.org.

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