May 23, 2013

Here are other important assistance links:

FDA-Food Safety & Power Outage:
The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.
A full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. For more details go to http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm076881.htm

EPA Flood Cleanup: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/flood/  Here is a downloadable PDF of the information.

FEMA- After A Flood-Safety Tips: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/fl_after.shtm

FEMA- Recovering From and Coping With Flood Damaged Property:
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/coping.shtm; The Emergency Response and Salvage Wheels; Check For Hazards When Returning Home; After a Flood: The First Steps; Removing Mold from Your Home; Saving Family Treasures Guidelines.

CDC Responding to Hurricane Irene: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/cdcresponds/index.asp;
This site says that "data indicate[s] that people continue to be exposed to carbon monoxide gas, an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death if inhaled. When power outages occur during emergencies such as hurricanes, the use of alternative sources of fuel or electricity for cooling, heating, or cooking can cause CO to build up in a home, garage, or camper and to poison the people and animals inside."

NYS Homeland Security & Emergency Services - view real time alerts; sign up to get alerts automatically: http://www.nyalert.gov/

NYSDOH- Public Health Duty Officer Helpline: 1-866-881-2809 (Use this number nights and weekends for public health emergencies, including communicable disease reports)

NYSDOH- http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/weather/hurricane/food_safety.htm

Food Safety Tips: Flooding that results from a hurricane can result in food-borne illness. To help protect against food-borne illnesses, discard any foods that may be contaminated after a flood, including:

Frozen foods that have been thawed, if they have not been kept refrigerated at 45 degrees F. or lower, or consumed immediately.

Any foods exposed to flood waters because of possible contamination.

Food that is packed in cardboard containers, screw top jars, or bottles.

Canned foods when swelling, rusting or serious denting is visible.

Drinking Water Safety Tips:

If a boil water advisory is issued for your community, bring the water to a full rolling boil and maintain the full boil for at least one minute. Any time your drinking water appears cloudy, muddy, or even slightly discolored, it should not be used for drinking or cooking until it is disinfected.

Private drinking water wells that have been flooded should be tested before they are used. Contact your local health department for information about residential well testing and disinfection. For additional information on drinking water and private drinking water wells, call DOH's Environmental Health information line at 1-800-458-1158.