In an effort to pilot test a new training delivery strategy targeted at involving an even broader environmental health audience, NEHA combined talents and resources in May through one of our principal training entities (the Center for Environmental Research and Training [CERT]) by offering an interactive

Web cast with a regularly scheduled face-to-face Epi-Ready Team Training workshop in Columbia, Missouri. From the host site location, NEHA/ CERT transmitted over high speed internet connections to locations in St. Louis and Liberty, Missouri, and Richardson, Texas. In addition to audio/visual feed, the remote sites possessed the ability to interact with Columbia through telephone conference line connections and instant internet messaging. Also, in an effort to ensure effective communication with host-site instructors and all participants, Epi-Ready graduates who were familiar with the curriculum were asked to serve as facilitators at the various remote locations.

Beyond the need to enhance some technical capabilities to further improve the transmission quality of the program, the workshop was in every respect a huge success. We are confident that we have clearly identified an additional training delivery strategy that will exponentially increase the number of food protection professionals that we are able to train through this program. It is also worth noting that this further expands NEHA's capabilities and sophistication in developing and presenting cutting-edge training methods. The feedback from the attendees was uniformly positive. One interesting comment had to do with the fact that having this type of distance-based learning available expands the opportunity to take advantage of available training. The participant indicated that remote learning site availability made all the difference, commenting, "Our department did not have the funds nor time to support overnight travel away from work; had it not been for this webcast opportunity being offered, we would not have been able to attend."

NEHA/CERT collaborated closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Food Safety Office in planning for this workshop and certainly acknowledges their continued support and encouragement offered to NEHA. Also, NEHA has recently begun planning for additional collaboration with U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service to provide technical and financial support for future workshops, featuring this distance-based learning component.

We are proud of this new accomplishment and we believe it indicates an even brighter future and success for our Epi-Ready Team Training program.