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TextHealth and Safety Podcast Transcript: July 11, 2012
Hello, and welcome to the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast
for July 11, 2012. I’m Jim Person, Fairfax County emergency
information officer. Coming up, learn about summertime food safety,
especially for the grill, as well as information about a booklet
available from FEMA about emergency preparedness for workers in the
National Capital Region and how to schedule a presentation about
emergency preparedness for your civic group or organization. Links to
topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.
Before firing up that grill this summer, remember these six food
safety tips that will prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying and
causing foodborne
illness.
-
Keep cold food cold. Meat and poultry should be refrigerated until ready to use.
When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in
shade or shelter and avoid opening the lid too often.
-
Keep hot food hot. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it
hot until served (at 135 °F or warmer.) Purchase a meat thermometer and
follow safe minimum cooking temperatures.
-
Completely thawmeatandpoultry before grilling so it cooks more evenly.
Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or thaw sealed packages in
cold water. For quicker thawing, you can you can defrost in the
microwave if the food will be placed immediately on the grill.
-
Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If some of the
marinade is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, reserve a portion
of the marinade before putting raw meat and poultry in it.
-
Don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked
meatand poultry. Harmful bacteria present in raw meat and
their juices can contaminate safely cooked food.
- Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow containers. Discard any food left out more than two hours – one hour if temperatures are above 90 °F.
For more safety tips, check the USDA’s Barbecue and Food Safety Fact Sheet online at www.fsis.usda.gov/ and the Fairfax County Health Department food safety Web page at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd/food.
A printable half-page booklet developed by the FEMA Office of National Capital Region Coordination, “Emergency Preparedness for Federal Employees in the National Capital Region,” is available online with emergency preparedness information, guidance and resources specific to federal employees in the National Capital Region. This guide encourages federal employees and the whole community in the Washington, D.C., area to take practical steps to better prepare themselves and their families for emergencies that could threaten their homes, workplaces and communities. The brochure is specifically tailored to employees at the workplace and the National Capital Region and provides information on being informed, making a plan, building a kit and getting involved. The brochure is available in the FEMA Library: www.fema.gov/library/; search for FEMA publication P912.
The Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management is available to deliver emergency preparedness presentations to community organizations and homeowners associations. If interested, contact Marcelo Ferreira at 571-350-1000, TTY 711, or via email at oem@fairfaxcounty.gov.
That’s it for this edition of the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast, produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia government. Thanks for listening. Additional information about health and safety topics and emergency preparedness may be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov. And remember, if you have a police, fire or medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency needs, call 703-691-2131.
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