Power Outage: Safety Tips

Here are some safety tips during a power outage:

Use flash lights in the dark, not candles.
Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. (Traffic lights will be out and roads will be congested).
If you are using a generator be sure you understand how to use it properly.
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. (An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours if doors remain closed.)
First use perishable food from the refrigerator. Then use food from the freezer.
If it looks like the power outage will continue beyond a day, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items.
Keep food in a dry, cool spot and keep it covered at all times.
Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment electrical equipment, including sensitive electronics.
Turn off or disconnect any appliances (like stoves), equipment or electronics you were using when the power went out. When power comes back on, surges or spikes can damage equipment.
Leave one light turned on so you’ll know when the power comes on.

Staying safe after a power outage:

If electrical power lines are down, don’t touch them. Keep your family and pets away. Report downed lines to your utility company.
Throw away any food (particularly meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) that has been exposed to temperatures higher than 40 degrees F for 2 hours or more. When in doubt, throw it out!
Never taste food or rely on appearance or odor to determine its safety.
If you are not sure food is cold enough, take its temperature with a food thermometer.
If food in the freezer is colder than 40 degrees F and has ice crystals on it, you can refreeze it.

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