What to Do Before and After a Weather Emergency

In 2023, the U.S. set a record for natural disasters with 28 weather and climate emergencies that cost $92.9 billion in damages, according to Climate.gov. Winter storms, wildfires, heatwaves, flooding, tornados and hurricanes can bring immediate damage to a community, but the lingering effects include foodborne illness.

Food that has been exposed to fire, flood water or a power outage for too long can contain harmful bacteria that make you sick.

Knowing how to keep food safe and how to determine if food is safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illn...