The American Red Cross is helping families after severe weather overnight and the Red Cross, as well as the state, are offering tips to make sure you know how to keep food safe during power outages and assembling an emergency kits.
Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible and first use perishable food from the refrigerator. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold for about four hours.
Next, use food from the freezer. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours if the door remains closed, or 24 hours if it is half full.
Use your non-perishable foods and staples after using food from the refrigerator and freezer.
If it looks like the power outage will continue beyond a day, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items.
Keep food in a dry, cool spot and keep it covered at all times.
For breast milk stored in your freezer, if you can see ice crystals, it is safe to re-freeze.
If the breast milk has defrosted, with no ice crystals, use it within 48 hours for healthy babies and within 24 hours for premature or sick babies.
Clean your refrigerator and freezer after a power outage.
When the power comes back on, clean out your refrigerator and freezer before you put new food in it.
Wash the inside of the refrigerator and freezer with soap and warm water. next, wipe the inside down with a mild solution of 1/2 tablespoon of bleach in a gallon of water. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors open to air dry.
Once dry, close the doors and let it get cold inside the freezer and refrigerator before you fill it with food.
Other tips Assemble an emergency preparedness kit:
Pack a winter-specific supply kit that includes a warm coat, hat, mittens or gloves, and water-resistant boots, along with extra blankets and extra warm clothing for each family member. Sand or non-clumping cat litter is good to have to help make walkways or steps less slippery. Also, make sure you have a first aid kit and a supply of essential medications, canned food and can opener, bottled water, flashlights and a battery-powered radio with extra batteries in your home in the event of a power outage.
Use technology to prepare and stay safe.
Download Red Cross preparedness apps for your smartphone, which have tips and real-time information to help you prepare, as well as tools to help you keep in touch during and after a major storm.
The First Aid App has a special section devoted to severe winter weather with preparedness tips and information about coping during and after the storm. Get the apps for iPhones or Android phones at www.redcross.org/mobileapps.
Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:
Keep your generator and grill outside and at least 20 feet away from a home.
Do not use portable generators inside your home, garage, carport, basement or other enclosed space, like a covered porch. Only use portable generators outside and at least 20 feet from you and your neighbors' homes. Keep your generator away from doors, windows or air intake vents.
Do not use charcoal grills, gas grills or camping stoves inside your home.
Do not use propane or kerosene heaters inside your home.
Do not use your gas oven or stove top to heat your home.
Check to make sure that you have CO detectors installed on each level of your home and outside sleeping areas.
Change the batteries every six months and replace your CO detector every five years.
The signs of CO poisoning are like the flu: headache, tiredness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, or loss of consciousness. These signs might be your only warning because you cannot see or smell CO. If you or a family member has signs of CO poisoning, get outside and dial 911 from a mobile phone or from a neighbor’s home.
Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut