After a flood
Floodwater carries sewage, chemicals, and bacteria. Anything it touched has to be treated as contaminated until proven otherwise.
Throw out any food that touched floodwater, including sealed containers with screw caps or crimped lids
Do not drink well water until it has been tested and cleared
Wear gloves, boots, and a mask during cleanup
Disinfect every surface that contacted floodwater
Watch for mold in the weeks after
Water safety after a flood
If your drinking water comes from a private well and the wellhead was flooded, the water is presumed unsafe until tested. Pick up a test kit at the health department. Until you have a clear result, use bottled water or boil water for one minute at a rolling boil.
Food safety during a power outage
Refrigerator
Holds a safe temperature for about 4 hours closed.
Full freezer
About 48 hours.
Half-full freezer
About 24 hours.
When in doubt
Throw it out. You cannot tell by smell or appearance.
For food businesses
Food establishments have separate requirements after flooding or a power outage, including when a facility may reopen. Call environmental health at (573) 785-8478 before reopening.
Heat and cold
Pending confirmation: whether the department operates or coordinates cooling and warming centers, and where the current list lives. This section will name a location, not a general precaution.