Many people have continued to have questions after Thursday’s storm, including about what to do with food in their refrigerator after a long power outage.
The Vermilion County Health Department offered steps to follow when the power goes out:
• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if the door is kept closed. A full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if half-full).
• Place meat and poultry to one side of the freezer or on a tray to prevent cross contamination of thawing juices.
• Use dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible during an extended power outage. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep a fully-stocked 18-cubic-feet freezer cold for two days.
Here are tteps to follow after a weather emergency:
• Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.
• Check each item separately. Throw out any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture or feels warm to the touch.
• Check frozen food for ice crystals. The food in your freezer that partially or completely thawed may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees or below.
• Never taste a food to decide if it’s safe.
• When in doubt, throw it out.
Others offering tips after the storm were the Danville Fire Department.
Thursday’s storm covered a large portion of the city and the fire department reminds all residents to be aware of the hazards they may encounter during cleanup operations.
Storm cleanup work can involve hazards relating to restoring electricity, communications, and water services as well as cleaning up debris and tree trimming.
To keep these operations safe, please share these tips:
1. Assume all power lines are live unless you know otherwise and keep a safe distance of at least 10 feet away from them.
2. Wear proper clothing when walking on or near debris, including boots and gloves.
3. Be careful of sharp objects, such as nails and broken glass.
4. Take proper safety precautions when operating generators, chainsaws, or other power tools.
5. Monitor local radio or television stations for emergency information and be aware of possible structural, electrical, and gas-leak hazards.
6. Exercise caution when entering any structure that has been damaged.
Storm recovery efforts expose workers and the public to a wide range of hazards, which can be mitigated by safe practices and personal protective equipment.
The area also will be experiencing high heat and high humidity in coming days, so limit the time spent working in the outdoors to prevent overheating, according to the Danville Fire Department.