You’ve been hit by a tornado or hurricane. What steps should you take next?

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — While it’s important to be as prepared as possible for an extreme weather event , it’s also important to consider steps to take after a major storm hits.

With thousands of Miami Valley residents dealing with power outages, finding information on what to do to navigate food loss, unsafe water conditions and more is vital.

According to a report from Food Safety.gov , perishable foods like meat, poultry and eggs (among others) will be safe inside of a refrigerator for 4 hours during a power outage. If said food is exposed to temperatures at or above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 2 hours though, it should be thrown out, as seen in the table below.

According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service , food that is stored in a full freezer, with its doors closed, will keep for 48 hours, food stored in a half-full freezer, doors closed, will be edible for 24 hours.

If you see ice crystals on your frozen food, it can be refrozen but its quality may decrease according to the report from Food Safety.gov.

To mitigate the potential loss of food due to a power outage, you can transfer foods to a cooler and fill it with ice or frozen gel packs. The goal is to keep food at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Add more ice to the cooler as needed.

Some quick tips to know from Ready.gov in the case of an outage includes:

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed.
• Avoid using a gas stove or oven to heat the home.
• Unplug electronics to avoid electrical surges.
• Have nonperishable food items available.
• If using a generator, only use it outdoors and away from windows.

American Red Cross advises that you use flashlights, not candles, during a power outage.

If your home becomes either too hot or too cold, there will likely be places to shelter at or charge your phone.

A school in New Paris held a community outreach event Sunday night for those in need. Members of the community provided hot meals for residents. The district also shared that St. Paul United Methodist Church will be providing hot meals Monday from 5-6 p.m.

The Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Community Support Center hosts a food pantry that is available to the public. The center is actively requesting donations (food and cash) to maintain food and supplies for those in need.

We will update this story as we learn of more community centers such as the ones above.

Another concern with strong winds spurred by severe weather, what if a tree falls on your property?

A report from Forbes says that you should take precautions, assess the damage making sure to document every thing, cover any openings that the damage causes to your property (ex: broken windows) and rest assured that damage of this caliber is covered by your insurance policy. In fact, you are advised to call your insurance agent before calling a technician to remove the tree.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.