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Kansas State University Rapid Response Center |
K. M. BLAKESLEE, Food Science Institute, Kansas State Univ., Dept. of Animal Sciences & Industry, 221 Call Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506 Since 1995, the Rapid Response Center at Kansas State University has provided support to on-campus Extension Specialists in the Food Science and Human Nutrition areas. The Center gives KSU Extension Agents throughout the state an efficient, available resource for them to answer consumer questions related to food science and human nutrition. The Center answers questions related to food science, food safety, food preparation, and more in a timely manner using research-based information or other reliable resources. The Rapid Response Center communicates primarily by telephone and e-mail. Calls are recorded by date, county, area, caller name, position, subject, contact method, response efficiency, response method, question and answer. All information is recorded using the AskSam 4.0 Professional edition database program. Information is tracked monthly, quarterly and yearly, and reported to administrators using Excel. Frequent questions lead to programming decisions, news stories, and web pages. Principal users are Family and Consumer Science agents and county office professionals. Communication is primarily by telephone or e-mail. Common questions are in food safety (20.0%), home food preservation (19.4%), and home food preparation (32.0%). Of all calls, 98.0% are answered within 24 hours. The Rapid Response Center is a vital resource for all Kansas Extension agents. It is especially useful for new agents and for counties with one or no agent. The coordinator maintains five web sites and participates in new agent training, gives presentations, writes news stories, and helps teach classes. A rapid response center has also been created in the KSU Horticulture Department. It can be a valuable addition to any university Extension program, providing information to county faculty, and freeing up time for on-campus faculty.
Session 25, The world of outreach
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