Power outage safety tips

North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
News Release

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Due to the power outage in the Nipissing and Parry Sound areas, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit suggests the following safety tips.

FOOD SAFETY

Without power, a full, upright or chest freezer will keep everything frozen for about two days. A half-full freezer will keep food frozen for one day. A refrigerator will keep food cool for four to six hours without power. Keep the freezer or refrigerator door shut as much as possible.

Do not taste food to check for spoilage - food that is spoiled does not necessarily taste bad or have an unusual colour. “When in doubt, throw it out.”

When deciding what to do with freezer contents, consider the following:

• Squeeze packaged foods. If you can feel or hear the crunching of ice crystals, the food is only partially thawed and can be refrozen. If foods have partially thawed but have not reached room temperature, refreezing or immediate use is recommended.

• Never taste food to check for spoilage. Food that has spoiled does not necessarily taste bad. “When in doubt, throw it out.”

• All meat, dairy products, eggs, fish, seafood, processed cheese, vacuum packed meats or products containing the above should be discarded if they are warmer than 4° Celsius
(40° Farenheit) for more than 4 hours.

• Watch for raw meat juices. Discard any food (including other meat) that has come in contact with raw meat juices. High protein content foods are very susceptible to spoilage and support the growth of disease-causing organisms.

• Remember, freezing and refreezing foods does not destroy disease-causing organisms.

Baby Formula

• Use ready-to-feed formula if possible.

• If you are mixing formula and are unable to boil water, use bottled water.

• Discard any mixed formula if the power has been off for four hours or more; do not re-use partial bottles of formula.

Disposal of Spoiled Food

• Discard spoiled food in leak-proof containers. Place the containers in a cool place out of reach of dogs, cats and other animals.

“Think Clean” During a Power Outage

• Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling and preparing food. If no hot water is available, wash your hands with soap and cold water for two minutes or use a hand sanitizer.

• Clean surfaces with a bleach solution of one teaspoon (5 mL) of bleach and three cups
(750 mL) of water.

WATER SAFETY

• If you use the water from your own well, a power outage will normally cause the water pump to fail. Use an alternate source of safe water, such as commercially bottled water or follow the instructions below for treating water.

• If you have a back-up power generator, use the water as you did before the power failure. Make sure that any water purification system you may use, such as an ultraviolet light, also continues to operate.

• If you are concerned about the safety of your water, use an alternate source of water or treat the water using one of the following methods:

1. Boiling Water

• Bring the water to a rolling boil for at least one minute (water should be bubbling and rolling).

• If you are using a gas barbecue to boil water, use it only outdoors.

During a power outage, never use gasoline or charcoal-burning devices, such as generators, grills, or camp stoves, inside your home, basement, or garage; or near a window. Carbon monoxide from these sources can build up in your home and poison the people and animals inside.

2. Treating Water

• If you cannot boil the water, add six drops of newly purchased liquid household bleach (unscented, 4 to 6% chlorine) per gallon (4.54 Litres) of water. Stir well and let the water stand for 30 minutes before using it. If you are going to make infant formula with the water, let the water stand overnight covered with a clean paper towel or a loose lid. This will allow the bleach to do its job and then dissipate so that the bleach does not affect the taste of the formula.

• You may also use water purification tablets from your local pharmacy to treat tap water. Follow the directions on the label. Let the water stand overnight, uncovered, in a cooler or refrigerator. This will allow the purification tablet to do its job and then dissipate before use.

Public health staff are available to answer questions about food and drinking water safety at 1-800-563-2808 or (705) 474-1400. Once you have power, more information about food and drinking water safety is available on the Health Unit website www.healthunit.biz or the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care web site at www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/foodsafe/powerout_mn.html

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