7:05 P.M. - (Center for Disease Control and Prevention): Facts about drinking and eating safely after the storm:
FOOD
You should throw away:
-- Food that may have come in contact with flood, storm water.
-- Food that has unusual odor, color or texture.
-- Perishable foods that have been above 40 degrees for two hours or more.
-- Canned foods that are bulging, opened or damaged.
-- Food containers with screw-caps, snap-lids, crimped caps, twist caps, flip tops, and home canned foods that may have come in contact with flood water.
But:
-- Thawed food that contains ice crystals or is 40 degrees or below can be refrozen or cooked.
Also:
-- If cans come in contact with flood or storm water, remove labels and wash cans or dip them in a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water. Then relabel.
-- Don't use contaminated water to wash dishes, brush teeth, wash or prepare foods, wash hands, make ice or make baby formula.
Infant feeding:
-- Breast-fed infants should continue breastfeeding.
-- If ready-to-feed formula not available use bottled or boiled water to prepare.
-- Let boiled-water formula cool before giving to infant.
-- Be sure safe water is used to clean feeding bottles, nipples.
-- If clean water not available to wash hands before preparing formula, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used.
Food Storage:
-- While power out, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
-- Using heavy gloves, add block ice or dry ice if power may be out long.
WATER
-- Heed public announcements and instructions on water safety.
-- Use only bottled, boiled or treated water for food preparation, bathing, cleaning.
-- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used as substitute for safe water.
-- Make sure bottled water is from safe source.
-- Boiling water (when practical) is preferred way to kill bacteria/parasites.
-- Rolling boil of one minute will kill most organisms.
-- Boiling water will not remove chemical contaminants.
-- Chlorine tablets and iodine tablets can be used but are not as effective as boiling for killing organisms.
-- Household chlorine bleach can be used; one fourth teasthingy per gallon of clear water and let set for half hour before using.
-- Don't use decontamination methods that are not recommended by local health authorities.
-- Avoid containers that may have been contaminated until you can thoroughly clean them with soap and clean water, rinse with clean water, then shake container with bleach solution inside, rinse again with potable water.
-- Flooded private water wells may not be safe to use.
MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM:
Local media reports
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-800-MPHotline)
www.foodsafety.gov CDC and Red Cross websites