Growing Greenup Power outage? Tips for Staying Warm and Safe

Growing Greenup

Power outage?

Tips for Staying Warm and Safe

This week’s column is by Robert McCool,

 Program Coordinator at the

 Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC).

Power outages can happen at any time. Damage to power lines due to severe weather is most often the cause, but other hazards — fires, motor vehicle crashes, and problems with electric distribution equipment — can also cause a loss of electrical power. Regardless of why it occurs, a power outage is inconvenient. It can also create unexpected hazards. Here are a few ways you can prepare your home and keep you and your family safe and warm during an outage.  

First, prepare in advance for a power outage. Keep flashlights, a battery-powered AM/FM radio, and plenty of spare batteries available. A portable power bank for recharging your cell phone and other personal devices. If the power bank includes a solar panel, that’s even better; you can recharge it by placing it in sunny window. 

Keep canned or dried food on hand so that you can prepare meals without having to open your refrigerator. If you need a powered medical device such as an oxygen concentrator, talk with your doctor about what you will need to do if the power goes out. 

Use flashlights and battery-powered lamps for light instead of candles. Candles can create a fire hazard. If you must use candles, never leave a candle burning in a room when there’s no one in that room. Make sure that you have working smoke alarms and that they include a battery backup that will keep them working during power outages.

Listen to local radio stations or use your cell phone’s internet access to get updates about the situation. If the power outage lasts more than a few hours, you might need to call friends, family members, or public safety responders for assistance. In some situations, you might need to move to an emergency shelter. 

Running generators produce carbon monoxide, an invisible, odorless gas that can kill people and pets. If you use a generator, keep it outdoors and at least 20 feet from your house. Never run a generator near a door and window of your home. Gas cooking stoves can also produce carbon monoxide, so do not use a gas cooking stove or oven to try to heat your home during a power outage. 

Power outages can also lead to property damage and loss. To reduce food loss, keep freezers and refrigerators closed. If frozen food does thaw, discard it to avoid possible food poisoning. Unplug sensitive electronics, such as TVs, computers and game systems, so they aren’t damaged by a power surge when power is restored. 

Food-specific information from the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Science Program:

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans spend, on average, around 6% of their budgets on food. Knowing how to safely store foods will help you protect your investment with high quality results. Properly storing food gives you better nutrient retention, reduces waste, decreases risk of foodborne illness, and ensures fresher, better tasting food. Food held beyond the recommended storage time may still be safe, but the quality may have started to deteriorate. Ultimately, the shelf life of any food will depend on the food itself, its packaging, and the storage temperature and humidity.

If you would like to have a print copy of a food storage publication, please contact your local Extension office. You’ll receive tables that include recommended storage times for best quality while maintaining the basics of food safety.

For best storage results, start with high quality foods. Besides food safety, quality is based on our senses: appearance, aroma, temperature, texture, and flavor. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season to help insure you get the best tasting and highest quality produce. Wash produce thoroughly with clean, cool, running water before freezing. Other fresh foods, such as eggs, dairy, meat, poultry, and seafood may have expiration dates. Check the label before purchasing.

                  Manufacturers provide “use by” dates, “sell by” dates and “best by” dates. This allows consumers to see when the product is considered at its best quality. The “use by” date is the date Recommended food storage times the manufacturer has determined the product is at its peak quality. While the food may be safe to eat, the color, texture, flavor, and nutritional value may begin to deteriorate after this date. Similarly, the “best by” date is when the food is at its peak condition. The “sell by” date indicates the last recommended day of sale. Retail stores usually pull products after the sell by date. Reading labels can help you buy the freshest, best quality foods. If you plan to freeze a food, you should label the food with its name and recommended “use by” date.

Without power, a full upright chest freezer or refrigerator freezer will keep food frozen about two days, if you do not open the lid. If the freezer is only half-full, it will keep for one day. If the power is off for an extended period, transport food to freezers where there is electricity or use block or dry ice. Handle dry ice according to instructions. Do not touch or breathe fumes.

Without power, a refrigerator will keep food cool for four to six hours, depending on the kitchen temperature. Use block or dry ice to keep food cold for long periods. When the electricity returns, if ice crystals are present in food or the food feels refrigerator cold, it can be refrozen, but there may be a loss of quality in color, texture, flavor, and nutrient content.

If the food is completely thawed but is cold, it must be cooked within 24 hours. Any thawed food that has risen above room temperature and remained there for two hours or more should be discarded. Foods with strange colors or odors should be discarded.

Never taste foods. If in doubt, throw it out!

For more information, contact Anne Stephens, Agent for Community Arts and Development in Greenup County. 606.836.0201 anne.stephens@uky.edu Greenup County Cooperative Extension Service, 35 Wurtland Avenue, Wurtland, KY 41144. This institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.