The 2017 hurricane season has made a devastating impact on the United States. Between hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria the United States will be trying to recover for many years to come. With the advanced warning systems in place today, there is plenty of time to prepare. But sometimes no matter how much a community prepares, disaster still strikes and food safety becomes a serious issue.

It can take days in some instances for help to arrive with necessary resources such as drinking water and food. With power outages and severe flooding, food items can quickly become contaminated and hazardous if consumed. There are a number of food safety tips set forth by the USDA.  

Food Safety Tips for Before the Loss of Power

With today’s technology, there is ample warning before a hurricane potentially makes landfall. This gives plenty of time to prepare a week or more in advance. Do not wait until the last minute because resources become limited and hard to find. It is best to prepare for the loss of power long before it happens. There are a number of food safety tips that can help mitigate this situation including:

1. Fill containers with water and fill empty freezer space. A full freezer will hold food at safe temperatures for about 2 days. A day before the hurricane is expected to make landfall, take some of the frozen containers of water and put them in coolers and in the refrigerator. Fill more containers to replace the ones taken from the freezer. Not only are these frozen containers going to keep food at a safe temperature for a longer amount of time, but they can also serve as drinking water if necessary.
2. Keep appliance thermometers in the freezer and fridge. The thermometers will indicate the temperature within the refrigerator and freezer, and tell if the food is safe to eat. A freezer should be below 0⁰ F and a refrigerator should be below 40⁰F.
3.  Freeze refrigerated foods. Freezing refrigerated foods that are not going to be immediately used such as left overs, milk, and fresh meat will keep these items at a safe temperature for a longer amount of time.