Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 by Lew Fincher.

Food in refrigerators

o          Throw out any perishable food (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, leftovers) if the power to the refrigerator has been off for 4 or more hours. 

Food in freezers

(If the door remains closed, a full freezer will keep the temperature for approximately 48 hours; a half full freezer will keep temperature for about 24 hours.) 

o          If the freezer thermometer reads 41° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen. 

o          If there is no thermometer, check each package of food.  If the food still contains ice crystals or is 41 °F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.  Refreezing of these foods will be a quality (not food safety) issue.

Disposal of food

o          Liquids (excluding fats, oils and grease) - pour down the drain. Caution:  there is the possibility that you will experience sewage back up if your establishment does not have power.

o          Fats, oils and grease - place in approved grease disposal bins or place in closed containers and contact grease disposal facility for pick-up.

o          Small quantities of food - denature with a cleaning product such as bleach and place in covered refuse bin outside the facility.  If garbage pick-up is greatly delayed, place perishable food in closed containers, clearly label “not for sale” and place in a refrigerated location separate from other food until proper disposal is possible.

o          Large quantities of food - store in covered refuse containers in a secure location until proper disposal is possible

o          Massive quantities of food - take to Type 1 landfill. 

Type 1 Landfills

Landfill         Company      Address         County

McCarty Road          Allied 5757 A Oates Harris

Atascocita      Waste Management            3623 Wilson Rd.       Harris

Blue Ridge    Allied 2200 FM 521  Fort Bend

Baytown        Waste Management            FM 1405, just north of FM 2354    Chambers County

Security         Waste Management            19248 Hwy 105         Montgomery County

Water

o          Until a city or municipal utility district declares its water safe, only bottled water or water that has come to a rolling boil for one minute should be used.  Boiled or bottled washing should be used for food preparation, drinking and washing hands. 

o          Use single service utensils and tableware or use approved sanitizer in approved concentration to sanitize dishes after washing and rinsing.  (1/3 cup bleach to 5 gallons water)  Sequence should be wash-rinse-sanitize.  Heat sanitizing dish machines should not be used unless the sanitizing temperature reaches boiling (212°F.)

Ice

o          Establishments that are under a “boil water” notice should not make ice.   Purchase packaged ice from an approved source.

o          Discard any stored ice.  Clean and sanitize ice machine according to the manufacturer’s recommended procedures. 

When may I re-open?

Food establishments may resume operation if they meet the following conditions*:

1.         Potentially hazardous food (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, etc.) that has not been held at 41°F or less is properly discarded.

2.         Full power is restored.

3.         Hot and cold running water is restored and is at sufficient pressure to wash hands and clean and sanitize equipment effectively

4.         Toilet facilities are operating properly.

5.         The establishment does not have structural damage that will cause contamination of food or food contact surfaces and equipment.

*If you wish to resume food operations, but these conditions are not fully met, please consult HCPHES supervisory personnel at (713) 439-6270.  Partial operation may be possible.

Contact:     

Rita Obey            (713) 439-6293

Sandy Kachur     (713) 439-6192

***end***

Posted in Business, Home, Greater Houston/Galveston Area Information, Hurricane Ike | 1 Comment »

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 by Lew Fincher.

Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

September 17, 2008

Contact: Sandy Kachur

713.439.6292

Due to the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Harris County Public Health & Environmental Services (HCPHES) cautions residents that mosquito activity is increasing. The combination of storm debris and standing water left behind has produced many more mosquito breeding sites.

HCPHES Mosquito Control is currently conducting county-wide surveillance to detect disease-carrying mosquitoes and determine pest mosquito populations. Ground-based operation (evening spray truck) and aerial treatment operations will be implemented according to on-going surveillance information.

Now is the time to eliminate mosquito breeding habitats from your property.

        • Don’t feed the storm drains. Sweep up lawn clippings, leaves and tree limbs from sidewalks and driveways.

        • Empty any containers that can hold water such as flowerpots, tires, buckets and other outdoor containers.

        • Keep rain gutters clear and draining.

Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites.

        • When outdoors (especially between the hours of dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active), use an insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 (Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus). Apply as directed on the label.

        • When possible, wear long-sleeved clothing and long-pants.

Keep mosquitoes out of the house.

        • Make sure window and door screens are in good condition.

        • Seal other openings, such as those around window air conditioning units.

        • When mosquitoes are noticed in the home, use a “flying insect spray”. Be sure to use according to the label.

Posted in Business, Home, Greater Houston/Galveston Area Information, Hurricane Ike | 1 Comment »

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 by Lew Fincher.

For those residing in Friendswood and for those wishing to return to their Friendswood homes, please be aware of the following:

-Food supply is short, with dry goods coming in slowly at area grocery stores.

-Fuel is very scarce. Residents who are returning should plan to top off their gas tanks before entering the area.

-CenterPoint Energy and Texas-New Mexico Power Company are using every available resource, including out of state resources, to restore complete power in Friendswood as soon as possible.  At this time, more than half of Friendswood’s power has been restored.

-The water supply is safe. It is safe for Friendswood residents to drink tap water. There is no shortage of City water at this time.

-Sewer facilities are not operating at 100% at this time. There is a possibility of some sewer back-ups until power is restored to all of Friendswood’s lift stations.

-Friendswood ISD and Clear Creek ISD schools are closed until further notice.

-There is a curfew for the City of Friendswood from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. every day until the city and utility companies can provide safe and effective services. Proper identification will be required to travel within the city during the extended curfew.

-Friendswood parks will be closed through the end of this week.

-Household trash should be bagged as usual and separated from any wooded storm debris. Any green waste that is placed in trash bags should be placed alongside the household trash instead of with larger wooded storm debris. Wooded storm debris do not have to be cut, bundled or tied.

Residents who decide to return to Friendswood should be prepared to be completely self sufficient for at least one week. Food, fuel and electricity are all in short supply at this time.

Posted in City of Friendswood, TX, Hurricane Ike | No Comments »