Food Safety and Medicine Storage Tips during Power Outages this Hurricane Season

The Collective Prevention Service (CPS) and the Inspectorate of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) are advising residents to review their hurricane emergency supply kit to make sure they have enough non-perishable food items and necessary medications on hand to keep for up to a minimum of seven days after the passing of a hurricane.

Every household must have enough non-perishable food, water, and medicine to last each person in your family for a minimum of seven days.  Electricity and water could be out for at least that long.

The objective is also to minimize the potential for foodborne illnesses in the event of frequent power outages associated with the passing of a hurricane.   

Some medications require refrigeration to keep their strength, including many liquid drugs. When the power is out for a day or more, throw away any medication that should be refrigerated, unless the drug's label says otherwise.

If a life depends on the refrigerated drug, but the medications have been at room temperature, use them only until a new supply is available. Replace all refrigerated drugs as soon as possible. Contact your house doctor or pharmacy for replacement medications.

Hurricanes not only pose dangers to people’s physical safety, but also power outages can affect the safety of the food and medicine people may depend on after frequent power outages. 

Steps to be taken before the arrival of a hurricane: Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. An appliance thermometer will indicate the temperature inside the refrigerator and freezer in case of a power outage and help determine the safety of the food.

Make sure the freezer is at 0°F/-17C or below and the refrigerator is at 40°F/4.4C or below.  Freeze containers of water for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator or coolers after the power is out.

Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately — this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer. Plan and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.

Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerator food cold if the power will be out for more than four (4) hours. Purchase or make ice and store in the freezer for use in the refrigerator or in a cooler.  Freeze gel packs ahead of time for use in coolers.

Group food together in the freezer — this helps the food stay cold longer.  Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.

Steps to follow after the hurricane has passed are: Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about four (4) hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and the door remains closed.

Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers, and deli items after four hours without power.  If you’re in doubt, throw it out!

Exercise caution when buying prepared food from restaurants after the passing of a storm or hurricane!​