Health and Safety Concerns

Power Outages

Sudden power outages can be frustrating and troublesome, especially when they are prolonged. Some winter power outages last for more than a week. Everyone should be prepared. When making a disaster preparedness plan and when preparing disaster kits, have enough supplies, food and bottled water/drinks to sustain everyone in the household for at least 72 hours. Consider buying a gasoline-powered generator. Never run a generator in an enclosed area such as a garage or basement. People could die of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The American Red Cross has some suggestions listed in its brochure, "Help! The Power is Out..."

What Do I Need?

• One or More Coolers - inexpensive, foam coolers can do an excellent job.
• Ice - surround your food with ice in a cooler to ensure the food will stay cold.
• Shelf-Stable Foods - such as canned goods and powdered or boxed milk can be eaten cold or heated on the grill.
• A Digital, Quick-Response Meat Thermometer - to quickly check the internal temperature of food for safety.

What To Do?

Do NOT open the refrigerator or freezer unnecessarily. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours. A half-full freezer will hold up for up to 24 hours, a full freezer, up to 48 hours.

If it looks like the power outage will be longer than two to four hours, pack refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry, eggs and leftovers in your cooler and surround with ice. If it looks like the power outage will be even longer, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items.

Common Questions and Answers

Q: What if I go to bed and the power is still not on?
A: Before you go to bed, pack your perishables into your cooler, if you haven’t already done so, and put in as much ice as you can. Also, when you go to bed, leave a bedroom light switched on. That way, if the power comes back on, the light may wake you so you can check the condition of your food in the freezer. If your freezer food still has ice crystals on them, they can be refrozen.

Q: What if the power goes out while I’m at work or out of the house, and it has been more than a few hours before I return home?
A: Try to determine how long the power has been out. Check the internal temperature of the food in your refrigerator with your quick-response thermometer. A liquid such as milk or juice is easy to check. Spot-check other items like steaks or leftovers. If the internal temperature of the food is about 40 degrees, it is best to throw it out. If the food in the freezer is not above 40 degrees and there are still ice crystals, you can refreeze.

Q: What if the power goes out and comes back on while I am out?
A: If your freezer is fairly full and you know it has not been longer than 24 hours, the food should be OK. There will be loss of quality with refreezing, but the food will be safe. If the refrigerator was out for more than two to four hours, you are best to discard the perishables.