Tag: power outage

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A Food safety Tip

I travel all over the country giving preparedness presentations to a wide variety of audiences.

So who watches my place while I’m gone?

Usually my better half does, but sometimes she travels with me and neighbors keep an eye on security, plus we have an array of systems, services, electronics, etc. to help keep us safe.

But who monitors the food in the fridge? And why should anyone?

Here’s why. Some times when we get home it’s obvious there’s been a power outage. We can tell because all the clocks on the appliances that took us so long to set are now back to showing a zero or a blinking “12.”

That begs the questions, “How long was the power out, and how safe is the food?” “If we eat something, is it going to make us sick?”

Naturally, the first thing we do is ask the neighbors when we see them. And, we have some indicators we set in place before leaving.

If you travel like we do and want to know how things are when you get home, here are a few things to do to ensure food safety.

1. Take a saucer, put an ice cube in the middle of it and set it all back in the freezer. If you come home from a trip and the cube has melted and refrozen as a little pond in the saucer, then the power was out long enough for some of your more perishable items to be tossed. Things like mayonnaise, raw meats, etc. that could be very bad for you should be tossed. Other things like milk or vegetables that you can still tell whether they’re good or not (milk will sour, veggies will wilt, and so on) and can be checked and possibly saved.

2. Another thing we do is we keep two-liter plastic bottles full (well, 3/4 full actually. Need to leave room for ice expansion) of water that we stick in the freezer and let freeze solid. We do this so that if we do have a power outage, the fridge stays colder longer and so does our food. We lay the bottles on their side and when they freeze, the air bubble is along the top side of the bottle. We turn this 1/4 turn in the freezer so that the air bubble is on the side. If we come home and not only is the cube melted, but the bubble in the bottle is now at the top, that means the power was out for several hours and pretty much everything that was perishable needs to be tossed.

Better safe than sorry, and these are a couple of no-cost tricks that can help you stay safe and healthy when coming home from vacation.

Paul Purcell
Author – Disaster Prep 101
Available through 1-800-Prepare

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Ice Storm Left People with No Power for 2 Weeks

The topic of emergency preparedness can seem overwhelming to some. So much so, that they’re afraid to even get started. I hope that’s not you. Look at what happened to more than one million households due to last year’s ice storms in New England. The Times Argus reports:

The federal government says it distributed nearly $80 million in disaster relief funds to four New England states following a devastating ice storm a year ago.

The Dec. 11-12, 2008, storm knocked out power to an estimated 1.4 million electric customers in the region. Some were without power for almost two weeks.

Can you imagine going without power for almost two weeks in the winter? Take an inventory of what you have in your home right now, including water, food and medical supplies. Do you have what you need to sustain and protect every member of your household? If not, start by purchasing home and car survival kits. All of the experts, including the American Red Cross and other organizations that are prepared to aid people during a time of disaster, are advising individuals to have their own kits. Help may not be able to arrive at your doorstep when there’s a natural disaster or other emergency. Once you have your basic kits, expand your supplies to last you 2, 4 and then 6 weeks, and eventually more.

Source:
http://www.timesargus.com/article/RH/20091212/THISJUSTIN/912120336/1003/NEWS02

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Power Outage Preparedness

Are you prepared to survive and thrive during a power outage? Maybe thriving is goal for later on, but at the bare minimum you’d better have what you need to live if (and when) the power goes out in your community for days or weeks. The Tahoe Daily Tribune reports on the following health related recommendations for power outages offered by Care Flight, an emergency medical transportation service:

Have a first aid kit in your home, office, and car. Take first aid and CPR training.

Sewer pump stations have limited storage capacity. Limit all water usage, and avoid flushing your toilet during a power outage.

Be a good neighbor and check on any neighbors with special needs: Elderly people, people with disabilities, and children who are home alone during a power outage. They may need your help.

If you’re dependent on electricity to use medical and other devices due to health issues, then you’ll also have to get a backup system, such as a generator. Be careful though, as you don’t want dangerous fumes in your home from a generator exhaust. One alternative is to purchase a portable power pack that you can plug into your outlet to store electricity. When the power goes out, you’ll have electricity stored for a little while. Most importantly, don’t forget the little things, such as an emergency first aid kit.

Source:
http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20091208/NEWS/912089994/1056/RSS

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Utility Companies too slow to Respond to Major Power Outage

Power outages can cause major problems, especially when they occur during a natural disaster.  Everyone is affected from individuals to business owners and governments. For instance, New Hampshire recently recovered from a crippling ice storm that caused this:

The Dec. 11 ice storm knocked out power to two-thirds of the state’s population, closed 448 schools, and caused $80 million in damage, plus an additional $70 million in business losses, and insurance and other claims, [Public Utilities Commission] PUC Chairman Tom Getz said.

So, how well did the utility companies do in restoring power to two-thirds of the state’s population?

The PUC released its findings in a final report partly based on an assessment performed by the independent consultant NEI Electric Power Engineering. The report found that the utility companies’ initial damage assessments were slow, the process to disseminate estimated restoration times was ineffective, and communication with local and state officials, and first responders, was ineffective.

Yet another sobering reminder about the necessity to be ready to bunker down and survive when the power goes out. New Hampshire residents, who weren’t prepared with something as simple as a home kit, must have wished they had those basic supplies instead of relying on the PUC.

Source:
http://www.eagletribune.com/punewsnh/local_story_343020133.html?keyword=secondarystory

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Lasting Impact of Power Failures

Losing power when you least expect it and when you’re unprepared can have a lasting effect. Two small towns in Massachusetts celebrated the anniversary of an ice storm that left them without power for an extended period. The Worcester Telegram and Gazette reports:

Residents of Lunenburg and Fitchburg are still talking about what happened to them after losing power for up to two weeks; area artists have created paintings and other objets d’art at the Rollstone Studios; the Fitchburg Senior Center held an Icebreaker Party; and yesterday, protesters picketed Unitil headquarters; and the Lunenburg Firefighters Association held a community event at the fire station, giving away free emergency starter kits.

“I was friendly with my neighbors before, but now we are friends,” Mr. [Jay] Rinaldi added.

He was without power for 11 days and had to cancel classes he taught in Boston. And he not only used his fireplace to keep his house warm, but also cooked pizza over that fire.

If you’re renting an apartment, you may not have the luxury of a woodstove or fireplace in your apartment. What will you do for heat and food? Homeowners also have to think through how they will get enough food, water and heat to stay alive. Do you have the supplies you need for a 2 week power failure?

Source:
http://www.telegram.com/article/20091213/NEWS/912130420/0/NEWS03