MEDIA RELEASE                                                                            CONTACT:

Date:  July 6, 2016                                                                                      Kari Etrheim:  328-7424

Food Safety During/After Power Outages

Olmsted County, MN – Due to the severe storms that swept through the area last night, many households lost power and continue to be without power today.  Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe during extended power outages will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

When the Power Goes Out . . .

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain cold temperatures

o   The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened

o   A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full).

• Do not eat refrigerated, perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, milk, eggs, and deli Items, after 4 hours without power

Once Power is Restored . . .

You’ll need to determine the safety of your food. Here’s how:

• If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40°F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40 °F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
• Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than 4 hours and the refrigerator door was kept shut. Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40°F for two hours or more.

Keep in mind that perishable food such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, and eggs that are not kept adequately refrigerated or frozen may cause illness if consumed, even when they are thoroughly cooked.

Resources:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Keeping_Food_Safe_During_an_Emergency.pdf

http://www.fda.gov/food/recallsoutbreaksemergencies/emergencies/ucm077023.htm

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/fs/powerout.html

#30

Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) is preparing for significant snow storms forecasted to be in the Rochester area this afternoon into tomorrow. All necessary RPU staff are preparing to support electric and water operations in the event of a large snow storm. RPU is always prepared for emergency and outage situations.

In the event of the snow storm knocking down trees, tree limbs, or overhead power lines, do not go near the downed lines and call RPU’s outage line at 507.280.9191 immediately.

View RPU’s outage map at www.rpu.org and follow RPU outage updates on Twitter @rpuoutages.

About Rochester Public Utilities

As the municipal utility of Rochester, Minn., for more than 110 years, RPU provides high-quality and reliable electricity to over 50,000 customers.  Water customers number more than 37,000.  RPU continually investigates innovative technologies to help customers realize the best value from the services they receive.  Current initiatives include fuel cell research, wind power, and photovoltaic offerings.

###

Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) is preparing for significant snow storms forecasted to be in the Rochester area this afternoon into tomorrow. All necessary RPU staff are preparing to support electric and water operations in the event of a large snow storm. RPU is always prepared for emergency and outage situations.

In the event of the snow storm knocking down trees, tree limbs, or overhead power lines, do not go near the downed lines and call RPU’s outage line at 507.280.9191 immediately.

View RPU’s outage map at www.rpu.org and follow RPU outage updates on Twitter @rpuoutages.

Line crews worked throughout the night restoring power to customers.

All photos courtesy of Josh Banks.

RPU is preparing for possible storms approaching southeast Minnesota this afternoon and evening. All necessary RPU staff are preparing to support operations in the event of a storm. If the threatening storm system hits Rochester, dangerous situations may arise.

In the event of the severe weather knocking down trees or taking overhead power lines down, stay away from the debris and call RPU and/or law enforcement. Do not approach the area under any circumstances. If you lose electricity, please call RPU to report your outage. RPU crews will be dispatched as needed.

The RPU customer service phone number is 507-280-1500. For up to the minute notifications on outages, customers can follow RPU outage information on Twitter at “rpuoutages”.