Power Outages

The biggest Power Outage in U.S. history occurred on August 14, 2003, leaving roughly 50 million people without power. Power outages, or blackouts, can happen anywhere, and to anyone, so being prepared is important. Sudden power outages can be frustrating and troublesome, especially when they last a long time. If a power outage is 2 hours or less, don’t be concerned about losing your perishable foods. For prolonged power outages, though, there are steps you can take to minimize food loss and to keep all members of your household as comfortable as possible.

 

To help preserve your food during a power outage, keep the following supplies in your home:

One or more coolers - Inexpensive Styrofoam coolers work well.

Ice - Surrounding your food with ice in a cooler or in the refrigerator will keep food colder for a longer period of time during a prolonged blackout.

A digital quick-response thermometer - With these thermometers you can quickly check the internal temperatures of food to ensure they are cold enough to use safely.