Author: Suzanne Byrne

Keep your Mob safe from food poisoning by following these four simple steps! 

Keep it clean

• Before you eat or touch your food, wash your hands, food preparation tools and the surfaces you’re preparing food on.

 Cook it right

• Cook foods, especially meat and chicken until the juices run clear and the food is steaming hot.

 Keep it chill

• Put any food that needs to keep cold in the fridge right away.
• Throw out cooked food that has been sitting at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Defrost and marinate food in the fridge, particularly meat.

 Check the label

• Avoid eating food past it’s use by date.
• Follow storage and cooking instructions
• Ask for information about foods without packaging

Did you know?

Our deadly dietitians can work with you to improve your eating habits to make sure you’re getting a balanced and healthy diet.

For more information, yarn with your GP at your local clinic.

Need more info?

Visit the Queensland Health Food safety at home site.

After a flood, you should always check that the water, food and medicine you have is safe to consume. Here is general advice to keep you from getting crook.

Safe water

• Do not drink untreated or contaminated water.
• Even if water looks okay to drink, it may have bad bacteria or chemicals in it that can make you sick.
• The best way to know if water is safe to drink is to listen to your local radio and TV station or check your local council’s website (if possible) for updates on the water supply.
• If there is no other water available, boil and let cool before drinking.

Food safety

1. Throw away any food that has had direct contact with flood waters.
2. If you have lost power to your fridge or freezer or if the appliance(s) stops working
   1. Avoid opening the fridge or freezer as much as possible, to keep cold air in.
   2. Unopened fridges should be able to stay cool for up to 4 hours and freezers for up to 24 hours.
   3. In longer power outages, you can safely eat food that has been out of the fridge for 2 hours, but not longer than that. Frozen food that has thawed can be eaten if it is still cold. Do not re-freeze these foods.
3. Contaminated surfaces and utensils
   1. Discard any flood-exposed wooden utensils and cutting boards or damaged items with cracks and chips, as it is not possible to remove germs from them.
   2. Wash utensils and surfaces in hot soapy water and allow to air-dry. Clean metal cutlery, pots and utensils by pouring boiling water over them for 10 minutes. Clean dishes and other crockery by immersing in a weak bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach to 2 litres of water) for 10 minutes and rinse.
   3. Clean cupboards and counters with hot soapy water and then rinse with diluted bleach before storing food.
4. What to do with canned food and other food in air-tight containers that have been exposed to flood waters?
   1. Discard any cans that are dented, swollen or damaged.
   2. For tins with no damage, clean them thoroughly by removing the label, washing the cans in warm soapy water, sanitising with a weak bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach to 2 litres of water) for one minute and then rinsing with water. Re-label the cans using a permanent marker. Do a similar process for air-tight containers with food inside if the seal has not been broken.
   3. If you have a vegetable garden that has flooded, do not consumer leafy green produce – you need to throw it away. Do not pick other vegetables for consumption for one month after flooding. After a month, pick any vegetables that are ripe, wash and then sanitise with a weak bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach to 2 litres of water) before rinsing. Peel the vegetables and they can then be consumed.

Medication safety

Disasters can impact access to medications. Some tips for accessing medication during a disaster and ensuring your medicine is safe following one include:

• Ensure you have all your medications, prescriptions, medical care plans and other important medical information in a safe and accessible location you can easily take with you in an emergency
• If you don’t have your prescription, your usual pharmacy may be able to give you a small supply without a prescription as an emergency supply
• If you are having trouble accessing money for medication, you can try and organise an emergency payment from Centrelink
• You can contact Mob Link (1800 254 354), 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84), Medicines Line on 1300 633 424 (1300 MEDICINE), your doctor, pharmacist, hospital or health clinic for more information

Some medication may be damaged or unsafe after a disaster. You should always check that your medication has not been affected. If you need to dispose of your medication, please talk to your pharmacist about how to do this safely. Dispose of any medication if:

• It has had any contact with contaminated floodwater
• It has been exposed to heat or smoke from a fire
• There is damage to the product or packaging from an impact (for example, the label is illegible or damaged, the container is punctured, a blister strip is damaged)
• It has been exposed to temperatures, light or humidity outside of the manufacturer’s recommendations (such as if power is unavailable for medications that require refrigeration)

If you are unsure if your medicines are safe to use, you can contact Mob Link (1800 254 354), 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84), Medicines Line on 1300 633 424 (1300 MEDICINE), your doctor, pharmacist, hospital or health clinic for more information

There are a few things to keep in mind the first time you leave the house:

1. If your home is damaged or obstructed by debris that may dislodge and hurt you as you open the door, call the SES on 132 500 for assistance. For quick access to all emergency services contacts, download the Emergency Plus App.
2. If flood waters are at your doorstep, stay inside until flood waters go down. Can you see any hazards outside your home? If it is safe to step outside, look out for anything that may cause serious injury or harm. This might include:
   1. Fallen powerlines or exposed wires. Report powerlines down on 13 19 62 and call 000 immediately for electric shocks.
   2. Fallen trees, call SES on 132 500 if it is an emergency.
   3. Debris that could fall, call SES on 132 500 for assistance.
   4. Wildlife including snakes. Be cautious when moving debris, lift it facing away from you to avoid being bitten.
   5. Puddles and muddy areas, especially if sewage has been moving through the floodwater
3. If it is safe to step outside, keep an eye out for any dangers that might be impacting your neighbours and keep them informed or report the hazard to the appropriate service.

Staying safe from germs

During flooding, germs spread through the water and can stay on surfaces or in the ground. If you come in contact with germs, you can get sick and become really unwell. Ways to protect yourself after flooding and during clean up include:

• Wear enclosed waterproof shoes
• ash hands with soapy water and use protective gloves during clean up
• Avoid flood water and muddy areas
• Wash your body with clean soapy water after cleaning up
• Follow food safety advice
• Wear a mask during clean up
• Drink safe water. Listen to your local radio and TV station or check your local council’s website (if possible) for updates on the water supply.
• Check if you are up to date with your tetanus shot if you are assisting with clean up. Adults should receive a booster every 10 years, or if it is more than 5 years and you get a cut during clean up

If you’ve been exposed to flood water:

• Wash your body with clean soapy water as soon as possible
• Look out for any cuts, scrapes or wounds you have
• If you have cuts, clean them well with an antiseptic
• Remember, even small wounds can get infected from flood waters
• If you get any cuts during clean up, talk to your GP (when you can). They can check the last time you had a tetanus shot and whether you need any other treatment for your cuts

Remember to always follow the advice of emergency services and official government sources to keep safe, and if it’s flooded – forget it.

To keep staff and clients safe, there are some clinic closures and service changes across our network of clinics.

For health, wellbeing and social support needs, Mob Link is available 7 days a week, 7am-8pm on 1800 254 354. In the event of an emergency, please dial 000.

Updates on services and clinic closures will be shared with Mob on social media, and if you had appointments or services booked that need to be changed you can expect to hear from your service provider. It is recommended that you follow your local Aboriginal Medical Service on Facebook to keep up-to-date with any new information:

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane
IUIH Goodna Clinic
Kalwun Development Corporation Ltd
Moreton ATSICHS
Yulu-Burri-Ba

Remember:

• in an emergency, dial 000
• the state emergency service (SES) is 132 500, for storm and flood assistance
• the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) weather map is at http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml
• the Get Ready QLD website has everything you need to know in one place: https://www.getready.qld.gov.au/…/tropical-cyclone…

Stay safe you Mob and take care of yourselves, your family and your community.