August Power Outage - Message for Food Operators

Highland County experienced severe storms that produced power outages on August 12, and some areas remain affected. The Highland County Health Department (HCHD) wants to make sure your establishment has the information it needs to keep food safe and stay in compliance during and after a power outage or flooding event.

If you lost power, make sure to:

• Monitor food temperatures - cold foods must be maintained at 41F or below and frozen foods should remain frozen. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Refer to Ohio Department of Health's Fact Sheet: Power Outage in a Food Safety Operation food chart for when to save and when to discard foods. https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/food-safety-program/food-safety-in-emergency

• Use a food thermometer to check temperatures once power is restored — don't rely on appearance or smell alone. When in doubt, throw it out.

• Do not resume cooking or food prep operations until you can confirm safe holding temperatures, adequate lighting, safe water (hot and cold), dishwashing and handwashing facilities are in place.

The Ohio Department of Health has additional Food Safety Fact Sheets for food operators that include flooding, septic back-up, fires, water interruptions etc.  These fact sheets are available in English, Spanish and Mandarin.

The Highland County Health Department's food safety website also has links to various food safety resources.  www.highlandcountyhealth.org

If you have questions or need additional services, please contact this office at 937-393-1941 option 3.  Be safe.