TROPICAL STORM  INFORMATION

 
 
 
 
Preparing for the Hurricane: You & Your Home
 
• Develop a household disaster plan. Avoid separating your family. Contact family members outside the area to designate them as a clearing house for local family that may be able to call points outside the area, but not be able to communicate locally.
 
• Do not use candles or kerosene lamps as light sources, as they can pose a fire hazard. Instead, keep a supply of flashlights and extra batteries on hand.
 
• Clean rain gutters and outside drains around your home.
 
• Think of storms we have had in the past with heavy rainfall. Recall what clogged, leaked or flooded areas resulted that you may be able to address before the next storm.
 
• Look around outside, bring in any light objects, loose patio furniture, garbage cans, toys or articles that could become a hazard should they become airborne in the storm.
 
• Tie down heavy objects, such as barbeques, lawn ornaments etc. Turn off propane tanks.
 
• If you have a boat make sure it is securely moored. If you have a trailer, i.e. camping etc, make sure it is securely tied down.
 
• Fill your cars’ gas tank.
 
• Secure any shutters, cover or tape large windows if possible.
 
• Have extra cash on hand, ATM machines may be out of service.
 
• Remember to check on relatives and neighbors, especially those with disabilities or special needs. They may need your assistance in their storm preparations.
 
• Seal valuables and important papers in water tight baggies.
 
 
Prepare for Water and Sewer Disruptions
 
• To keep perishable food cold, freeze water in plastic jugs and use in freezer or coolers. Fill up other emergency water containers.
• Clean jugs, bottles and other containers. Scrub bathtubs thoroughly, sponge and swab with regular, unscented liquid chlorine bleach, then rinse. Let the tub and other containers dry. Fill with water.
 
• If you have a pool, do not drain it completely. Instead, drop the level by one or two feet. Submerge outdoor furniture and pool equipment in the pool. Turn off electricity to pool pump. Add extra chlorine to compensate for heavy rains.
 
• Keep five-gallon buckets with tight-fitting lids for use as emergency toilets. Line each bucket with a heavy-duty plastic trash bag .
 
• See food supply preparation for an emergency for more information.
 
 
Prepare for Power Disruptions
 
• Turn your refrigerator and freezer to coldest settings. Open only when absolutely necessary, and then close quickly.
• Unplug appliances to prevent damage in case of an electrical power surge.
 
• Authorities will instruct you if you should turn off utilities.
 


Hurricane Survival Checklist

 

Have a two week supply of each item for every person in your home.

Water

  • 18 ½ gallons of water per person (½ gallon for drinking, 2 gallons for bathing)
  • Store water in clean plastic containers

Food

 

Purchase foods that require no refrigeration and little preparation, such as:

  • Ready-to-eat canned food
  • Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
  • Snacks: cookies, cereals, etc.
  • Soft drinks, instant coffee, tea
  • Lots of ice (you can freeze your water supply)

For Baby

  • Formula, bottles, powdered milk, jarred baby foods
  • Diapers, moist towelettes and special medications

Pets

  • Newspapers or cat litter
  • Moist canned foods (to preserve water)
  • Plastic sheets to cover floor of pet's room

Medicine

  • First aid kit
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Aspirin, non-aspirin pain reliever, antacid
  • Extra prescription medication (especially for heart problems and diabetes)
  • Ask your physician how to store prescription medication

Personal Items

  • Toilet paper, towels, soap, shampoo
  • Personal and feminine hygiene products
  • Denture needs, contact lenses and an extra pair of eyeglasses
  • Sun protection, insect repellent

Other Supplies

  • Battery-operated radio, flashlights, non-electric can opener, extra batteries
  • Charcoal, waterproof matches, extra propane gas for grills (Use grills outside only!)
  • ABC-rated fire extinguisher in a small canister
  • Portable cooler
  • Plenty of absorbent towels, plastic trash bags
  • Wind-up or battery-operated clock
  • Tarp or sheet plastic, duct tape, hammer and nails for temporary roof repairs
  • Cleaning supplies such as chlorine bleach
  • Aluminum foil, paper napkins and plates, plastic cups
  • Can of spray paint (can be used to identify your home by insurance adjusters in case it's damaged)
  • At least one change of clothing per person, sturdy shoes, hat and work gloves
  • Pillows and blankets or sleeping bags

 

 


Power Out: Is Your Food Safe To Eat?

When In Doubt, Throw It Out

 

If the power goes out for too long, how can you tell if refrigerated food is safe to eat? Here are tips on how to make your food last longer and advice on when it needs to go.

Before The Power Goes Out:

  • Turn the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer as low as possible. Move perishable foods, like meat or eggs, to the back of the refrigerator since that is the coldest area. Take perishable foods off the door shelves --this is the warmest spot in the refrigerator. Cluster all foods together to create an igloo effect.
  • If you have raw, uncooked meat, go ahead and freeze it. If the power goes out for longer than 4 hours, frozen foods will last longer than unfrozen ones.
  • Fill milk cartons, plastic containers, even zipper-type bags with water and freeze them. You can place the ice into your refrigerator so that when the power goes out, the ice will keep the refrigerator cooler longer.
  • Freeze water in smaller containers and when the power goes out, if your refrigerator is not full, you can take perishable items out of the refrigerator and place them into a cooler filled with ice. The food will be safe to eat as long as there is ice in the cooler.
  • Remember to have plenty of non-perishable foods on hand: bread, peanut butter, individual bottles of water and juice, crackers, canned nuts, fruits, meats like tuna or chicken. Be sure to have a manual can opener available.
  • If you anticipate power will be out for more than a day, know where you can purchase dry ice. Dry ice is the best option for keeping foods cold in a refrigerator or freezer. Do not handle dry ice with bare hands. Wrap it in newspaper or cardboard to prevent burns to hands and freezer burns to food. Plan on a block of ice per refrigerator or freezer shelf.
  • Put an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. The thermometer will allow you to monitor the temperature so you can make good "food safety calls" when determining which foods to keep and which to toss should the power be out for longer than 4 hours.
 

During a Power Outage
 

  • If the power is out for less than 2 hours, then the food in the refrigerator and freezer will be safe to consume. While the power is out, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold for longer.
  • Perishable foods must stay below 40 degrees to remain safe to eat. Perishable foods that have remained at 40 degrees or higher for 2 hours or more are considered unsafe. This may seem extreme, but people with weak immune systems may be more vulnerable to food borne illness -- women who are pregnant, have recently been sick or are undergoing chemotherapy should not take any chances. The same goes for children and senior adults.
  • If you think the power will be out for longer than 2 hours, you may want to place perishable items from the refrigerator into a cooler filled with ice. If you cannot place all items from the refrigerator into the cooler, the following items are safest to leave out: jams/jellies, butter/margarine, ketchup, mustard, fresh fruits and vegetables.
  • A freezer that is half full will hold food safely for up to 24 hours. A full freezer will hold food safely for 48 hours -- possible longer, depending upon how full the freezer is and the kinds of foods that were frozen. If the freezer is not full, cluster all the foods together to create an igloo effect and then fill the rest of the freezer with large containers of ice that you froze earlier.

After The Outage

When in doubt, throw it out.

  • If the power was out for longer than 4 hours, perishable foods in the refrigerator should be thrown away. Eggs, milk, soft cheeses and any cooked or uncooked meats must be thrown away.
  • When the power comes back on, check the condition of foods in the freezer immediately. If foods thawed completely, the temperature may have gotten dangerously high (above 40). If they re-freeze before you check them, you can never be sure if they are safe to eat or not.
  • Foods that still contain ice crystals and feel cold, as if they have been refrigerated, are safe to re-freeze. The quality will not be as good. Use good judgment when it comes to large pieces of meat like a beef roast. If it's soft on the outside, but it still has ice in the center, it is a good idea to go ahead and cook it. Then you can re-freeze it.
  • Do not taste a food to determine whether or not it is safe to eat. You cannot taste or smell the bacteria that make you sick.
  • Use the information you printed from our Web site to make decisions about each food individually.

For additional information, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service or call the UDSA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at is (800) 535-4555 to speak with a food safety specialist.