From the Fridge to Furniture, the Best Tips on How to Stay Safe During a Blackout

Millions of people in Florida and all over the Southeast have no electricity and no way to keep their food from spoiling following Hurricane Irma. 

Read: Richard Branson Reveals Damage to His Private Island After Irma, Pledges to Aid Recovery in Caribbean

Inside Edition has gotten practical advice on how to deal with the crisis from American Red Cross spokesman Craig Cooper.

“The priority is to eat food that you know is safe,” he said. “Once you lose power, you only have about four hours in your refrigerator as things begin to spoil very quickly, things like the milk, any cheese, get them into the freezer, because if you don't open and close it, things can stay in the freezer for up to 48 hours.”

Cooper warned against immediately jumping to canned food.

“These are the things that you would eat last,” Cooper said. “It's things like canned fish, tuna... [canned food is] the type of thing you can wait on.”

An outdoor grill can also be a lifesaver.

Read: 2 Florida Officers Die Trying to Protect Others From Hurricane Irma

“Obviously everybody first thinks about the meat but you can bring out a pot of water, as long as the water is clean, you can boil the water, put pasta into it, vegetables of course you can cook — grilled vegetables are a wonderful thing to eat,” he said.

No power means no lights at night and people can trip on items like a glass table, which can be hard to see in the dark.

He advises pushing furniture to the side of the room to make a clear path.

Watch: A Paradise Lost: Nearly Entire Island Wiped Out by Hurricane Irma