Power Outages Happen—Be Ready Before They Do
If you’ve ever managed a kitchen, you know emergencies don’t RSVP. Whether it’s a hurricane along the Gulf Coast, a wildfire knocking out transmission lines, a snowstorm freezing up infrastructure, or equipment failure during extreme heat, power outages can happen anywhere, anytime.
And when the lights go out, the clock starts ticking. You need to take action quickly to keep your food safe.
Step One: Seal Everything Shut
The first thing Maya did? She told her staff, “we need to keep fridge and freezer closed as much as possible to keep the cold air in!”
That simple move buys you time. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a refrigerator will keep food safe for about 4 hours if the door stays closed. A full freezer can maintain its temperature for up to 48 hours (or 24 hours if only half full).
Every peek inside lets cold air out, speeding up spoilage. Maya quickly assigned a staff member to monitor the refrigerator and freezer doors and keep unnecessary openings to a minimum.
Step Two: Monitor Temperatures
Maya keeps appliance thermometers in all her refrigeration units—and this is exactly why. As soon as the power went out, she could see at a glance which units were holding safe temperatures and which ones were approaching the danger zone.
Both the CDC and FoodSafety.gov stress that 40°F or below is the safe threshold for refrigerated foods. Once temperatures rise above that for more than 2 hours, bacteria can begin to grow rapidly, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
For extra reassurance, you should have probe thermometers on hand to check individual items—particularly meats and dairy—before deciding what can be saved.
Step Three: Don’t Guess—Know What to Toss
By hour three, Maya was facing tough choices. The backup generator didn’t extend to the walk-in cooler, and the team had to prioritize what could stay and what needed to go.
According to the USDA, foods that are unsafe after more than two hours above 40°F include:
- Meat, poultry, and seafood
- Dairy products like milk, soft cheeses, and yogurt
- Cooked leftovers
- Eggs and egg-based dishes
- Cut fruits and vegetables
When in doubt? Throw it out. The CDC warns that you can’t rely on taste or smell to determine if food is still safe. Harmful bacteria like Salmonella or Listeria don’t always leave signs.
Step Four: Avoid These Common Mistakes
As her team scrambled to prep coolers and move what they could to a safe place, Maya reminded them of a few rules every kitchen manager should know during a power outage:
- Don’t refreeze thawed food unless it still contains ice crystals or has stayed at 40°F or below, per the USDA.
- Don’t assume a generator solves everything—make sure it’s connected to refrigeration units and monitored for load limits.
- Don’t delay discarding—lingering on the decision can lead to riskier calls under pressure.
These moments call for confidence—and a clear policy every staff member knows.
Step Five: Be Ready for the Next One
Fortunately, Maya’s story had a good ending. The power returned just before dinner service. Thanks to a calm, well-informed response, very little had to be discarded—and, most importantly, no one got sick.
Still, Maya saw the experience as a learning opportunity. In the weeks that followed, she made changes to better prepare for the next power outage food safety scenario:
- Posted emergency food safety procedures in a central location
- Stocked coolers, ice packs, batteries, and extra thermometers
- Added a biannual emergency food safety drill to her staff training schedule
Emergencies are stressful—but they’re far less chaotic when your team knows exactly what to do.
Food Safety Can’t Wait—Even When the Lights Go Out
Emergencies don’t come with a warning. But your kitchen can be ready to respond when they happen.
Whether you’re running a school cafeteria, a hospital kitchen, a bustling bar, or a multi-site restaurant chain, food safety is your frontline defense. That doesn’t change just because the power does.
Can you weather the storm?
Our Food Manager Training gives you the knowledge to make safe, confident decisions in the middle of any kitchen crisis, from power outages to foodborne illness prevention.
