It is the time of year to prepare for storms and possible power outages. Maintaining proper refrigeration of food is a concern during power outages.

Frozen and refrigerated food supplies need to be evaluated carefully during and after a power outage to make sure that the food is safe to eat. Water safety could also be a concern.

Boil orders are a precautionary measure due to the possibility that contaminated water may have entered the distribution system as a result of losing pressure.

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration offers the following tips on keeping food safe following a power outage:

Be Prepared:

* Have a refrigerator thermometer.

* Know where you can get dry ice.

* Keep on hand a few days worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or cooling, which depend on electricity.

When the Power Goes Out:

* Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

* The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.

* Refrigerators should be kept at 40° F or below for proper food storage.

Once the Power is Restored:

* Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer.

* If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.

* If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can't rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or ...