Base food service employees receive COVID-19 safety training ahead of reopening

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Charles Welty
  • Air University Public Affairs

Employees of Maxwell’s various food services recently received mandatory COVID-19-specific training, in order to improve safety before reopening in the current environment.

Although employees are already required to obtain multiple safety certifications to maintain employment, the COVID-19 training delivers relevant information on how to keep food handlers and customers safe as more and more businesses begin to reopen their doors to the public.

“The new precautions are important on at least two levels,” said Roy Edgar, Community Services Flight chief. “The customer can rest assured we are handling, preparing and serving in the safest environment possible. The employees know we are protecting them at this time by limiting exposure in the preparation area and in the serving environment by limiting contact to every extent possible. On another level, I think these new precautions will translate into better habits in the long term and help during other times like flu season as well.”

Some of the topics covered in the training are identifying symptoms, proper sanitizing protocols, safely handling food packaging and delivery to guests.

“These precautions will become a habit to our workers very quickly,” Edgar said. “Additional sanitizing of areas and reduced employee contact will slow down operations slightly, however, we are committed to providing the safest environment possible. The requirements will become the new normal even after this threat.”

Base food services currently open are:

  • Aviation Inn & River Front Inn (Take-out only)
  • Two Putts Grill (call ahead, to-go only) [as of May 4, 2020]
  • Maxwell Club Family Meals (call ahead, to-go only) [as of May 5, 2020]
  • Rickenbacker’s (social distancing in line and waiting area, to-go only) [as of May 5, 2020]
  • Hangar 42 (drive thru only) [as of May 5, 2020]
  • Maxwell-Gunter Bowling Centers food service (call ahead, to-go only) [as of May 6, 2020]