Seasonal storms, whether they are in the form of snow and ice or a hurricane, pose just enough risk that it makes sense to prepare in case they do wreak havoc.

One of the best ways to plan is to store a safe and adequate three-day supply of food and water in case there is an extended power outage. Choose and store emergency foods that you and your family like and that do not require refrigeration or cooking.

Foods That Store Well for Emergencies

• Commercially canned meats, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables and juices
  
• Low sodium crackers
  
• Ready-to-eat cereals
  
• Instant non-fat dry milk
  
• Peanut butter, pretzels and nuts
  
• Instant soup mixes, oatmeal (if an auxiliary source of power will be available)

Select cans with pop-top lids or plan to use a manual can opener. Store items so that they are easily rotated. Make it a habit to use the oldest foods first and replace with recently purchased items before the use-by or expiration date elapses, about every 6 to 12 months. In the event of a power outage remember that once canned foods are opened, the food is no longer shelf stable and should be used immediately or discarded unless adequate refrigeration is available.

Frozen Food Safety

When it comes to frozen foods, keep your freezer as full as possible. Consider freezing water in clear plastic containers. Purchase freezer gel-packs and store in the freezer. Keep a clean cooler available to use during the outage. When a power outage occurs, open the doors of the freezer and refrigerator as little as possible so that the cold air is kept inside as long as possible. Evaluate foods in the freezer individually to determine safety. Follow the rule “when in doubt, throw it out!” The risk of a foodborne illness is never worth the cost of the food. Many frozen foods that have reached a temperature of 40° F and above for more than two hours are not safe to eat. Discard these items.

It is safe to refreeze foods if:
• they still contain ice crystals,

• they have not exceeded 40° F for two hours or more,

• they have been held at refrigerated tem-perature (40° F) no more than two days.

Refrigerated Food

Many refrigerated items should be safe as long as the power is out no more than four hours. However, milk, soft cheese and other dairy products, eggs, deli processed and raw meats, and all cooked foods spoil quickly. Discard them if the temperature rises above 40° F for two hours or more.

Do not rely on appearance or odor to determine if a food is safe to eat. If you are unsure about the safety of your food after a power outage throw it out!

Safe Drinking Water

Most people need at least two quarts of drinking water a day. Additional water is needed for personal hygiene and food preparation. Store approximately one gallon of water a day per person. The best source of water is commercially bottled water. If it becomes necessary to treat your own water to ensure safety, use chlorine bleach. Be sure the bleach contains 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. Do not use bleach that contains soap, is marked color safe, is scented or that contains other cleaners.

Recipe for adding bleach to treat water:

To learn more about planning for emergencies, visit www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster/ or contact your county Cooperative Extension Center.