Food Trucks: On The Road to Regulation

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Food Trucks: On The Road to Regulation
Jacqueline Wilmot, NFPA Michael Young, Town of Plymouth, MA Matt Geller, National Food Truck Association Richard Ford, City of Chicago Fire Department

The President of the National Food Truck Association, a Deputy Fire Commissioner, and NFPA staff will provide three very different perspectives on the various aspects of mobile food truck regulation. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and participate in this discussion by these catalysts in the development of food truck regulations.

Presented by:

Jacqueline Wilmot, NFPA
Jacqueline Wilmot is a Fire Protection Engineer at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). She holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Chatham University, and a Master's degree in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Before joining NFPA in 2014, Jacqueline worked as a Fire Protection Engineer for three years at Engineering Planning and Management, Inc., where she provided fire protection and regulatory consulting services to the nuclear power industry. At NFPA, Jacqueline is the Staff Liaison seven Technical Committees in the Fire Protection Systems Division.

Michael Young, Town of Plymouth, MA
Chief Young has served with the Town of Plymouth Fire Department for 35 years, and is currently Deputy Fire Chief of Operations. He is an adjunct faculty member of the fire science degree program at Cape Cod Community College, teaching Building Construction for the Fire Service and serves on the fire science program advisory board. He has worked at the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, Office of the State Fire Marshal's Fire Data and Public Education Unit as a statewide coordinator for the S.A.F.E. (Student Awareness of Fire Education) Program. Currently serves on the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts (FPAM) Board of Directors; NFPA Northeast Regional Fire Code Development Committee, PARADE Region 1 Co-Chair representing International Fire Marshal's Association, NFPA Fire Service Section Executive Board and FM-Global Fire Service Advisory Committee.

Matt Geller, National Food Truck Association
Matt Geller is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors Association (SoCal MFVA). The SoCal MFVA is a non-profit organization that represents upwards of 130 mobile vendors in California. It has successfully expanded the rights of mobile vendors in over 25 jurisdictions in Southern California while working cooperatively with health departments to improve their regulatory frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.

Richard Ford, City of Chicago Fire Department
Deputy Commissioner Richard Ford maintains fire and building code compliance with the City of Chicago Municipal Fire Codes. He led the first regulations for food trucks; years ago, the City of Chicago was preparing for the President's visit and realized there was no regulation in their city for food trucks. Deputy Commissioner Ford contacted NFPA and other jurisdictions around the country asking for the regulations they enforce for food trucks. He identified a gap in safety regulations when he learned that not one organization had any to provide. His team led the way and developed regulations that they still enforce today.