Hurricane Preparation
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38 • HURRICANE PREPARATION GUIDE • 2023 2022 2022 adno=3890936-1 THE AREA'S LEADER IN GARAGE DOORS, HURRICANE PROTECTION, WINDOWS & ENTRY DOORS FREE IN Home Estimates on Doors, Hurricane Protection and Windows. 941-412-1883 • DoorDepotInc.com Residential • Commercial • Licensed and Insured • CGC1520837 Over 60 Years Combined Experience Hurricane Shutters Impact Windows and Entry Doors Impact Garage Doors Learn about FREEZERS AND FOOD Staff Report During a hurricane emergency, leave the refrigerator and freezer plugged in and turn them up to the coldest setting, as they can maintain food-preserving tempera- tures for up to two days after power has been lost. Open the refrigerator and freezer only when necessary, to maintain food preserv- ing temperatures for as long as possible. Use dry ice in the freezer if it is avail- able. After placing the dry ice into the freezer, cover the freezer with blankets, quilts or some other insulated covering. Be sure the covering does not obstruct any air ventilation openings, as the power may go off unexpectedly and ventilation in the freezer will be needed. It will also help to put crumpled news- papers between the freezer and the cover- ing. Avoid contacting the dry ice with skin. Use paper or gloves when handling the dry ice to avoid a severe burn. If the freezer stops working, the food in the freezer will stay frozen depending on: • The amount of food in the freezer. A full freezer will stay cold many hours lon- ger than a freezer only one-quarter full. • The type of food in the freezer. A freezer full of meat will not warm up as fast as a freezer full of baked food. • The temperature of the food. The colder the food, the longer it will stay frozen. • The quality of the freezer. A well-insu- lated freezer will keep food frozen much longer than one with little insulation. • The size of the freezer. The larger the freezer, the longer the food will stay frozen. The following steps should be taken in the event the freezer stops working: Estimate how long the power will be off to determine how long the food will stay frozen. With the freezer closed, the food in a fully loaded freezer will usually stay frozen two days. If the food is in a freezer with less than half a load, it will probably not stay frozen for more than a day. If the food is stored in the freezer at home, refreeze the food quickly by turning the temperature control on the freezer to the coldest setting once it is operating again. Clean the freezer before refilling it. Place the warmer packages against the refriger- ated surface, if possible, but stack them so air can circulate around them. After the food is well-frozen, turn the temperature control to its usual setting. If the freezer is too full, move some of the colder packages to the refrigerator, and return them to the freezer gradually. THAWING AND REFREEZING Foods that have been frozen and thawed require the same care as foods that have never been frozen. Use refrozen food as soon as possible. Partial thawing and refreezing does reduce the quality of foods, particularly fruits, vegetables and prepared foods. Red meats are affected less than many other foods by partial thawing and refreezing. Food that has thawed may be safely refro- zen if it still contains ice crystals or if it is still cold — about 40°F — and has been at this temperature no longer than one or two days after thawing. Thawed fruits can be refrozen if they still taste and smell good. Fruits usually ferment when they start to spoil. A small amount of fermentation will not make fruits dangerous to eat; however, it may spoil their flavor. Care should be taken in determining whether thawed meat and poultry should be refrozen. Meats and poultry become unsafe to eat when they start to spoil. Therefore, each package of food should be examined before determining whether it should be refrozen. If the color or odor of the thawed food is poor or questionable, dispose of it, as it may be dangerous to eat. If refreezing thawed food is not possible, canning it may be the only practical solu- tion for saving most, if not all, of it.