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Tag: Emergency Preparedness

Food Safety During Power Outages

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

Severe weather events like thunderstorms and tornadoes can bring down power lines in a neighborhood or even entire grids of a city. When the power goes out, the clock starts ticking on the viability of perishable foods in the refrigerator and freezer.

According to the USDA, bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter can grow within minutes of food entering the “Danger Zone” ­– the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F. The insulation in freezers and refrigerators are your best allies during a power failure, as long as you don’t subvert them.

Ready.gov provides the following tips to manage food when the power goes out:

  • Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
  • The refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours if it is unopened.
  • Refrigerated or frozen foods should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for proper food storage.
  • Use a refrigerator thermometer to check temperature.
  • Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than four hours (if refrigerator door remains closed)
  • Discard any perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers that have been above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours or more.

By: Ashley Svaty

Business with the Babysitter

Posted on by Marci Metz

Hiring a babysitter to care for your child over a short period of time is common practice. A trustworthy babysitter allows parents and guardians more flexibility to run errands, go on a date, and be more involved in the community. Whether your babysitter is a teenager new to the business or an experienced adult, it is important to leave your care provider with the information necessary to respond to an emergency, meet each child’s unique needs, and maintain your family’s schedule.

Learn more about preparing for a babysitter in our latest edition of Building Strong Families, available at https://www.postrock.k-state.edu/home-family/monthly-column/building-strong-families/.

By:  Nora Rhoades

Are you ready for severe weather and emergencies?

Posted on by Marci Metz

The lion of winter and the lamb of spring often play hide-and-go-seek throughout the month of March making diverse Kansas weather threats hard to predict. The area’s common weather threats include tornadoes, thunderstorms, blizzards, and floods along with extreme heat, cold, and wind. Other emergencies your family may confront could relate to vehicle trouble, medical concerns, fires, and accidents.

Severe weather and emergencies can strike at any moment and will likely affect every family at some point. The best way to work through difficult situations and circumstances is to be prepared before a concern presents itself. It is recommended that every household and family have an emergency plan that is reviewed and practiced at least 2 times each year. In regards to your plan, here are some things to consider:

  • What emergencies could affect my family where we live, work, learn, and play?
  • What special needs (infant, elderly, medical, disability) does my family have?
  • What are each individual’s responsibilities? How will we work together as a team?
  • How will we be alerted and warned (tv, wireless alerts, radio) about potential hazards?
  • Identify a place to meet if separated and the route to get there. How will you shelter-in-place? Where can you shelter away from home?
  • Identify local and out-of-area ‘In Case of Emergency’ contacts. It is a good idea to clearly identify these contacts in your phone and in a wallet or purse.
  • Assemble a basic emergency supply kit and place it somewhere that will be easy to access. Try to include enough supplies to last a minimum of 3 days.

By:  Nora Rhoades

Advance Health Care Directives – Plan to have Family Discussions over the Holidays

Posted on by Marci Metz

Some people prefer to keep their legal documents private and disclose little or no information regarding their personal decisions. With end-of-life issues, however, communication is key. Initiating a conversation with others about your end-of-life wishes can be unsettling, but having these conversations will ensure that future health care plans are made and that appropriate parties are aware of those plans.

As you prepare to gather with family and close friends over the holidays, consider incorporating a time to discuss your advance health care directives. The resource, Advance Health Care Planning in Kansas, will provide assistance as you outline your wishes and prepare for these sometimes difficult, yet very important discussions.

By:  Nora Rhoades

Tips for Creating a Household Inventory

Posted on by Marci Metz

In 2017, throughout Kansas we’ve already experienced drought, wildfires, a spring blizzard, flooding, tornadoes, hazardous wind, and extreme heat advisories. Disasters do not plan ahead, but that doesn’t mean you can’t!

Being prepared for the disasters that may affect your home, business and community is important. Taking inventory of what you have and recording it is a good place to start. After all, you do not know where to get back to if you don’t know where you started, right?

Checkout “Tips for Creating a Household Inventory” on the Post Rock District Blog.

By:  Nora Rhoades

Prepare Kansas Begins September 1st

Posted on by Marci Metz
Nora Rhoades
Family and Youth
Development Agent

We’ve had drought, wildfires, a spring blizzard and flooding in Kansas this year and it’s only August. If your home or office was affected by a disaster, would you have an accurate record of what you lost? Would you easily know who to report it to and how to reach them?

Prepare Kansas begins September 1. The annual online challenge will run through September to coincide with National Preparedness Month, coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Prepare Kansas is an online challenge for all Kansans and others available through the K-State Research and Extension Facebook page and the #prepareKansas blog.

This year, Prepare Kansas will help you take steps to be more financially prepared to weather any challenges, plus it’s a good way to stay organized.

  • Week 1: You don’t know where to get back to if you don’t know where you started, right? This week’s challenge takes you step-by-step through preparing a household inventory.
  • Week 2: Things change. Circumstances change. Know the right questions to ask as you review homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, plus auto insurance coverage.
  • Week 3: If you had a few precious minutes to leave your home or office, what would you take? Learn the basics about what to include in a grab-and-go kit to help get you back on firm financial footing more quickly.
  • Week 4: Communication is key. This week’s challenge is to develop and practice a family communication plan.

By:  Nora Rhoades