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Blog Extra! Get prepared: Build a kit

Posted on by dekiss4

September is National Preparedness Month. It is also the month of the K-State Research and Extension annual Prepare Kansas online challenge. Prepare Kansas 2016 focuses on keeping food safe in emergency situations. This year’s program will be conducted through the K-State Research and Extension Facebook page. No registration is required, so Kansans and anyone interested in planning ahead for emergencies can follow on Facebook and this blog at any time during September, pick up handy information and interact with K-State extension specialists and agents.

Get prepared by building a kit that includes food, water, and medical supplies for at least 3 days. Click on the graphic below to link to information on building an emergency food kit. Be sure to include a manual can opener and eating utensils!

Graphic shows icons of food, water, luggage and a first aid kit. It reads, "Build a kit. Include enough food, water and medical supplies for your needs in your emergency kit to last for at least 72 hours."

What can you do ahead of a power outage?

Posted on by dekiss4

September is National Preparedness Month. It is also our annual Prepare Kansas online challenge. Prepare Kansas 2016 will provide tips on keeping food safe in emergency situations. This year’s program will be conducted through the K-State Research and Extension Facebook page. No registration is required, so Kansans and anyone interested in planning ahead for emergencies can follow on Facebook and this blog at any time during September, pick up handy information and interact with K-State extension specialists and agents. Today’s post is written by Londa Nwadike, State Extension Consumer Food Safety Specialist for Kansas and Missouri.

lights outMany of us living in the USA think that a power outage won’t happen to us.  Unfortunately, it can happen, so it is important to be prepared ahead of time.  Power outages can be caused by the aftermath of thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms, floods, or a number of other reasons, making it important to be prepared anytime.

One of the things that everyone should do to be prepared for a power outage is something that is a good food safety practice even if the power never goes out!  We should all ensure that every refrigerator and freezer we use has a working thermometer in it so that if there is a power outage, you will know how warm the inside of the fridge or freezer got while the power was out, so you will know if the food is safe to keep or not (more on this in upcoming weeks!).  In addition, it is always important to be sure that your refrigerator and freezer are cold enough to keep your perishable foods safe.

Refrigerators should be 40F or colder (generally from 34-40F) and freezers should be at or below 0F, both for food safety and food quality.  Keeping your refrigerator below 40F will greatly reduce the likelihood that organisms such as Listeria, which can make you very sick, can grow. Listeria can grow much more rapidly at slightly higher temperatures such as 45F, so it is important to keep your refrigerator at 40F or below for safety.

Very few home refrigerators in the US actually have a thermometer in them, although most have a temperature control dial which can help to change the temperature.  It is very important to know what the actual temperature in your fridge is, both after a power outage and during day-to-day use!

Refrigerator and freezer thermometers can be purchased at most grocery stores and discount stores for less than $5 and do not take up much room. Place one in each of your refrigerators or freezers in the spot you think would be warmest (usually the front or the door) and move it around occasionally to be sure that the warmest spot in the refrigerator is below 40F and is below 0F in the freezer.

More information on important steps for food safety before a power outage is available from USDA: Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies and Consumer Guide to Food Safety in Severe Storms and Hurricanes.

Is there an app for that? Free phone app for winter travelers

Posted on by dekiss4

App can locate car, contact 911, and alert family and friends. Timely information for winter travelers from K-State Research and Extension. Released: Dec. 18, 2015

Whether commuting to work or traveling across three states to visit relatives for the holidays, winter travel can be hazardous.

Now is the time to download the Winter Survival Kit smartphone app in addition to gathering a winter survival kit for your vehicles. The app is for people traveling in areas where roads can be icy or who run the risk of getting stuck in the snow.

The free app is available for iPhones and Android smartphones.  It’s provided by the North Dakota State University Extension Service, a member of the national Extension Disaster Education Network.

“The Winter Survival Kit app can be as critical as a physical winter survival kit if you find yourself stuck or stranded in severe winter weather conditions,” said Mary Knapp, assistant climatologist with the Kansas Weather Data Library at Kansas State University. K-State is also a member of EDEN.

The app will help users find their current location, call 911, notify friends and family, and estimate how long they can run a vehicle’s engine to keep warm before running out of fuel. It can also store important phone and policy numbers for insurance or roadside assistance and you can designate emergency contacts you want to alert if you become stranded.

The app alerts the user every 30 minutes as a reminder to turn off the vehicle’s engine and check the exhaust pipe for snow buildup, which is critical to avoiding potentially deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Additionally, it provides information on putting together a physical winter survival kit, preparing a vehicle for winter driving and staying safe when stranded in an ice storm or stuck in snow.

“Even though your phone can find your location, call 911 and store contacts, the Winter Survival Kit app can help you stay calm when you may be in a dangerous situation,” Knapp said. “The gas estimation gauge and alerts especially may save lives. Parents can have their less-experienced drivers download the app for peace of mind.”

The Winter Survival Kit app was developed by Myriad Devices, a company founded by students and faculty in NDSU’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and College of Business in the NDSU Research and Technology Park incubator. The NDSU Extension Service provided design and content input, and funded the project with a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Smith-Lever Special Needs grant.