EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
Power Outage
GENERAL PREPARATION
Research local regulations in case they contain any specific guidance on how to keep customers and staff safe during an outage.
Develop a Business Continuity Plan that includes guidance for staff on roles and responsibilities during a power outage.
Hold staff training on the Business Continuity Plan.
Store important documents, like insurance documentation, contracts, and tax returns in waterproof containers on site.
Check your Emergency Preparation Kit. Are items like batteries and water well stocked?
Do you still have a manual credit card swiper on hand?
Are items like batteries and water well stocked? Are items like flashlights and
If you have a generator, Check to see if it’s still
Safely store fuel and make sure there’s enough of it on hand.
Check to see if it’s still operational. Safely store fuel and make sure
Organize refrigerators and freezers so all raw meat is as low to the ground as possible and separate from other ingredients. This is best practice for restaurants and can prevent contamination in the case of a leak or spoilage.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
Power Outage
DURING AN OUTAGE
Document the time the outage began. This will help you determine if food is still safe to consume once power is restored.
If you have a generator, doublecheck that the engine has started and the alternator is running.
If you do not have a generator, Turn off all cooking equipment
Unplug all other appliances from their outlets. Keep refrigerator and freezer
Transfer refrigerated, perishable items to a cooler with ice if power has been out for more than 4 hours. Use ice, ice packs, and/or dry ice to keep goods at 40°F or lower. See the “Refrigeration Down” checklist for more details.
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Food will stay safe for up to 4 hours in a fridge, 24 hours in a half-full freezer, and 48 hours in a packed freezer. Transfer refrigerated,
Contact your local utility company for information about the outage and estimated time for power restoration. If the utility company suggests
If the utility company suggests the outage will be longer than 24 hours, consider canceling any future deliveries of perishable goods.
Rewrite tickets on credit card slips and use a manual credit card swiper to assist customers ready to close out.
If you operate a full-service restaurant, contact all guests with reservations to inform them of the outage.
Power Outage
AFTER AN OUTAGE
If the outage was under an hour, continue cooking food to the proper temperature.
If the outage was over an hour, discard all partially cooked food.
Discard all perishable food that was kept in the refrigerator for 4 hours without power.
Check frozen foods. If the food temperature does not exceed 41°F, it can be refrozen.
Use a thermometer to test the temperature of any perishable food that was transferred to a cooler. Discard any food with a temperature above 40°F.
Discard any other perishable food with an odd odor, texture, or appearance. Do NOT taste test!
Make sure the hot water heater is operational.
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Plug appliances back in.
If power is restored to the building but equipment and infrastructure do not have power, check to see if other utilities were affected. If not, toggle breakers for 30 seconds.