Food and Water Safety During an Emergency

Food Safety During an Emergency

Emergencies can strike quickly so it's good to be prepared with food and water that's stores well without power and is safe to eat or drink. You also need to know what to do with your food that's still in the refrigerator so it remains safe when the power goes out for more than an hour or so. Perishable food should not be kept above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours. Otherwise, the food may begin to spoil and bacterial growth will start.

In the case of a weather-related or other emergency, you need to be prepared so your food supply is clean and safe. I've got some food safety tips to keep handy so you know what to do if your electrical power goes out:

• Leave the freezer door shut. Your food will remain safe for up to 48 hours, though it depends on how full your freezer is. The more frozen food, the longer it will last.
• Keep your refrigerator door shut too. Food in the fridge will be safe for at least two hours if you don't open and close the doors. After that it will have to be moved to a cooler with ice.
• Store coolers someplace where you can easily find them. Make sure you have two or three so that you have plenty of room for food and ice.
• Stash bags of ice cubes in your freezer. If the electricity is out for more than three or four hours, transfer your refrigerated food into the coolers and pack them with lots of ice.
• Keep different sizes of plastic containers with tight-fitting lids on hand. You don't want to put your uncooked meats next to your cooked foods or raw produce in the coolers. So, keep food separated with individual containers.
• During hurricane, tornado, or snowstorm seasons, keep an emergency food pantry supplied with cans, packages and boxes of nonperishable foods. Look for expiration dates on the packaging and rotate foods from your emergency stock to your regular pantry so your emergency foods don't go past their usable dates. Include canned or dried meats, canned or dried fruits, crackers, nuts, granola bars and dry cereals. The packages should be unopened and still sealed. Buy single serving packages because you may be unable to refrigerate leftovers. Keep canvas bags or backpacks close by so you can carry food with you if you need to leave your home quickly.

You can live a few weeks without food, but only a few days without water. You want your water to be clean, safe and free from germs and parasites. I've got some tips for safe drinking water during an emergency:

• Keep several clean bottles filled with water and sealed tightly or stock up on bottled water from the grocery store.
• If you are unsure if your water source is safe, the American Red Cross suggests you treat the water with chlorine.
• Consider purchasing a water purifier made for hikers and campers. Make sure you buy a water purifier (buy direct) and not just a water filter.

_Sources:

_{American Red Cross. "Food Safety." Accessed April 19, 2011. http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_564_,00.html.}

_{United States Department of Agriculture. "Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency." Emergency Preparedness. Updated September 2006.}