cold weather and winter safety
TRANSCRIPT
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8/14/2019 Cold Weather and Winter Safety
1/16
2010
RobVajko
1/13/2010
Cold Weather and Winter Safety
Thetime
to
start
preparing
for
a
winterstormisnot10minutesafter
youveheardthatoneisontheway
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Cold Weather and Winter Safety
Christmas may be over but winter is just started with the coldest and snowiest months still ahead
of us. With snow and extreme temperatures come a whole new set of challenges we need to take
on in order to stay safe. In the next few pages we are going to look at all the areas we need to
prepare for in order to stay healthy and safe regardless of what Mother Nature throws at us.
Being prepared no matter what comes our way is crucial. Once the blizzard has struck it is
usually too late to start trying to put together an emergency kit. Knowing what to do and how to
do it can mean the difference between life and death.
Some of the topics we are going to be looking at in the next few days include:
How to prepare your home so that you stay safe when that big winter storm hits. How to get your vehicle ready in case you are on the road when the storm hits or have to
go out in bad weather.
What to do during the storm What to do after the storm How to avoid Frostbite and Hypothermia Carbon Dioxide Poisoning during and after winter storms How to safely heat your home How to cook and eat safely without power A lot more
UnderstandingthetermsAs with any issue, it is important to know the terms and the vocabulary.
Whats the difference, for example, between a Winter Storm Outlook and a Winter Storm
Watch? What about the difference between snow squalls, snow flurries and snow showers? Its
important to know the difference because itll make a big difference in how you prepare and
what you do or dont do.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gives us the following definitions:
Winter Storm Warning: Issued when hazardous winter weather in the form of heavy
snow, heavy freezing rain, or heavy sleet is imminent or occurring. Winter Storm Warnings
are usually issued 12 to 24 hours before the event is expected to begin.
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Winter Storm Watch: Alerts the public to the possibility of a blizzard, heavy snow, heavy
freezing rain, or heavy sleet. Winter Storm Watches are usually issued 12 to 48 hours
before the beginning of a Winter Storm.
Winter Storm Outlook: Issued prior to a Winter Storm Watch. The Outlook is given when
forecasters believe winter storm conditions are possible and are usually issued 3 to 5 days
in advance of a winter storm.
Blizzard Warning: Issued for sustained or gusty winds of 35 mph or more, and falling or
blowing snow creating visibilities at or below mile; these conditions should persist for at
least three hours.
Lake Effect Snow Warn ing: Issued when heavy lake effect snow is imminent or occurring.
Lake Effect Snow Advisory: Issued when accumulation of lake effect snow will causesignificant inconvenience.
Wind Chill Warning: Issued when wind chill temperatures are expected to be hazardous to
life within several minutes of exposure.
Wind Chill Advisory: Issued when wind chill temperatures are expected to be a significant
inconvenience to life with prolonged exposure, and, if caution is not exercised, could lead to
hazardous exposure.
Winter W eather Advisories: Issued for accumulations of snow, freezing rain, freezing
drizzle, and sleet which will cause significant inconveniences and, if caution is not exercised,could lead to life-threatening situations.
Dense Fog Advisory: Issued when fog will reduce visibility to mile or less over a
widespread area.
Snow Flurries: Light snow falling for short durations. No accumulation or light dusting is all
that is expected.
Snow Showers: Snow falling at varying intensities for brief periods of time. Some
accumulation is possible.
Snow Squalls: Brief, intense snow showers accompanied by strong, gusty winds.
Accumulation may be significant. Snow squalls are best known in the Great Lakes region.
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Blowing Snow: Wind-driven snow that reduces visibility and causes significant drifting.
Blowing snow may be snow that is falling and/or loose snow on the ground picked up by the
wind.
Sleet: Rain drops that freeze into ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet usually
bounces when hitting a surface and does not stick to objects. However, it can accumulate
like snow and cause a hazard to motorists.
Freezing Rain: Rain that falls onto a surface with a temperature below freezing. This
causes it to freeze to surfaces, such as trees, cars, and roads, forming a coating or glaze of
ice. Even small accumulations of ice can cause a significant hazard.
(Taken from the NOAA website at http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s794c.htm )
BeingPrepared:When the worst hits, being prepared and knowledgeable is key. So, what it is that we are exactly
getting ready for? Heres a quick list:
Power outages Winter storms often bring with them a loss of power. Best case scenariothe power is restored quickly and you dont have to cope with the problems that arise
because you have no power. Worst case scenario, the power might be out for days or
even weeks, depending on where you live and how quickly the power company is able to
get to you. Loss of heat With the loss of power, often comes loss of heat because heaters are
dependent on electricity to run. Even some non-electric heaters use electricity to ignitethem and keep them running properly.
Inability to get out Winter storms can dump a lot of snow or ice in a short time and youmay not be able to get out for a few days. Is there enough food in the house to last till
road crews or thaw allows you to get to the store?
Health considerations Even if road crews get to your street (assuming you live in anarea where road crews shovel and deice) they arent going to take care of your driveway
for you and youre going to have to dig yourself out. With the loss of heat, other healthconsiderations come into play. Bottom line, you need to consider now if you are healthy
enough, if you have the medication you need for yourself and others in the house.
Fires Space heaters and fireplace fires increase the risk of fires in your home. Carbon Monoxide poisoning It happens every year; people trying to stay warm or
trying to cook indoors are overcome by CO and die. Understanding the how and why of
CO poisoning is crucial to proper winter safety.
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Hypothermia Even in moderately cool temperatures, hypothermia can set in when thebodys core temperature drops too low. Know how to recognize, prevent and treat
hypothermia.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are many other considerations to deal with (how to
handle getting stranded in your car, for example). In the next few days we are going to look at
these various threats to safety and learn what to do to prepare against them, how to deal with
them when they strike and how to successfully survive these winter and cold hazards.
GettingthehousereadyforawinterstormThetimetostartpreparingforawinterstormisnot10minutesafteryouveheardthatoneisonthe
way.Properpreparationsmuststartasearlyasthefalloreventhesummer.Why?Becauseproper
preparationof
the
house
starts
with
making
sure
that
the
house
is
properly
insulated.
If
and
when
a
winterstormhits,havingahomethatcankeepthecoldoutandthewarmthinisgoingtogoalongway
tohelpingyousuccessfullyrideoutthehazardsinvolvedwithlossofpower,lossofheat,etc
Heresaquickchecklisttohelpyougetyourhomeready:
AtticinsulationHeatrisessomostofyourheatlossisgoingtocomefromanimproperlyinsulatedattic.
WallinsulationChancesarethatyourhomehasproperinsulationinthewallsbutitiscrucialthatyoumakesurebeforeitstoolatetodoanythingaboutit.
Doorsandwindowso
If
you
dont
have
double
paned
thermal
windows
get
them.
Its
an
investment
that
will
payoff,notonlyduringwinterstormsbuttherestofthewinteraswell.Ifyouhave
stormwindowsinstead,makesureyougetthemupearlyinthefall;itisntgoingtobe
muchfunrunningaroundtryingtogetthemuprightbeforethestormorcoldfronthits
nottomentiondangerous.
o Ifnecessary,addplasticfilmontheinsideofwindowsforaddedinsulation(Kitsareavailableatanyhomeimprovementstore).
o Makesurethatyourdoorsandwindowsareproperlycaulkedandleakfree.Feelaroundalldoorsandwindowsfordraftsandsealthemproperly.
o Makesurethedoorsandwindowsthemselvesareproperlysealed.Tryusingadollarbill.Putitinthedoororwindow,closeitandtrytopullitfree.Ifitpullsoutwithout
muchresistance,youdonthaveagoodseal.Addweatherstripping.
Insulateyourpipesagainstfreezing.Burstpipesarenotonlymessybutdangerous.Followthewaterlinesallthewayandmakesurethattheyareproperlycovered.Pipeinsulationisfairly
inexpensiveatanyhomeimprovementstore.Themoneyspentwillbemoneywellspent;
plumberchargealotofmoneytocomeoutinbittercoldtomendyourburstpipes.
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CrawlspacesGetunderthehouseatleastonceayeartocheckoutanypossibleproblems.Undetectedwaterleakscancauserotinthewood.Animalscangetinandpullouttheinsulation
tonestin.Makesurethateverythingisproperlyinsulatedandprotected.
ChimneyMakesurethatyourchimneyorflueisclean.Manyhousefiresarestartedeachyearwhensedimentandashbuildupinthechimneyorflueignites.Cleanitregularlyandhaveit
inspected.Dontendupoutinthecoldwhenyouweretryingtoheatupthehouseand
accidentallyburnitdown.
SmokeDetectorMakesurethattheyareinstalledandinproperworkingorder;yourlifemaydependonit.
CarbonMonoxideDetectorsAgain,makesurethattheyareproperlyinstalledandinworkingorder.Replacebatteriesyearly.
Awinterstormisessentiallyanassaultonyourhome.Likeacastle(amanshomeis,afterall,hiscastle)
itisessentialtoproperlyfortifyagainsttheenemyattack.Postthischecklistandfollowiteachyearand
your
home
should
be
properly
fortified
against
a
winter
assault.
GettingyourvehiclereadyforwinterWevetalkedaboutwhattodotoprepareyourhomeforwinterstormsandcoldweather.Thatisnt,
however,theonlyplaceyoustandyourtime.Besideswork,ifyouarelikemostAmericanstoday,you
spendagoodbitoftimeeachdayinsideyourcarortruck.Toaddtotheprobabilityofyougettingstuck
insideyourvehicleisthefactthat,ifandwhenawinterstormstartsheadingyourway,youareprobably
goingtowanttotrytoraceithome.Today,then,wearegoingtolookatgettingyourvehiclereadyso
that1)youroddsofgettingstrandedinabrokendownvehiclearereducedand2)ifyoushould,
nonetheless
get
stranded
in
a
winter
storm,
your
odds
of
coming
through
unscathed
will
be
greatly
increased.
Getyourvehiclewinterizedo Thisincludesfirstandforemosthavingtheradiatorservicedandtheantifreezelevel
levelsanddegreeofresistancetofreezingmeasuredwithanantifreezetester.Add
antifreezeifneeded.
o Winterizedyourwindshieldwiperfluidbymakingsureithasawintermixtureo Checkyourtirepressureandmakesurethatthetreadisstillgood.Ifnecessary,replace
worntires.Ifyouareinanareathatgetsalotofsnow,considergettingstuddedtires.
o Keepyourgastanknearfullasmuchaspossibletokeepgaslinesfromfreezing Itemstokeepinyourvehicle:
o SnowShovelo WindshieldScrapero Flashlighto Basictoolkito Abagofsando Saltoricemelt
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o Chainso Blanketsandextraclothingo JumperCableso Energybarandotherhighproteinandenergyfoodso EmergencyflaresorFlareAlertKito BasicFirstAidKito RepairaFlataerosolcano Watero Alsomakesurethatyoukeepafullychargedcellphonewithyouatalltimes
Whattodoifstrandedinavehicle Itisusuallybesttostaywiththevehicleespeciallyifvisibilityisbadorifroadconditionsare
especiallyharsh(ice,snow,etc).
Tieabrightlycoloredragorcloth(anarticleofclothing)onthetopoftheantenna.Thiswillkeepyouatleastpartiallyvisibleevenifsnowcontinuestocoverthecar.Asthesnowgetsdeeper,
considertyingthecoloredrag/clothtoapoleorotheritemthatyoucanpushhigheruptoallow
forcontinuedvisibility.
Ifitisnotsnowing,popthehoodofthevehicle.Thisisusuallyaclearindicationthatthevehicleisstranded.
Removetheemergencyitemsthatyouhaveinthetrunktothemainpassengerarea. Runtheenginetoheatupthevehiclefor10minutesforeveryhour.Makesure,however,that
theexhaustisclearsothatitisntpumpingCObackintothecar.10minutesofheatforevery
hourwillmaximizethetimeyouwillbeabletostayinthevehiclebasedontheamountofgas
thatyouhave.
Wrapeveryoneinextraclothing,blanketsandnewspaper.Makesureyoucoveryourfaceandheadaswellsoastominimizeheatloss.
Huddletogetherforwarmth. Whilestayinginsidethevehicletrytomoveasmuchaspossibleinordertokeepthecirculation
goingandtokeepwarmer.
Stayawake(anotherreasonwhymovingisimportant).Whenyouareawakeyouwillbeawareofcoldrelatedissuesandhearpossiblehelpthatyoumightmissifyouareasleep.
Donotdrinkalcohol.Itisnot,contrarytopopularbelief,anantifreezeforthebody.Onthecontraryitthinsthebloodandincreasesthelikelihoodofcoldrelatedissues.
Donoteatunmeltedsnowasthebenefitsthatyougetfromthewaterarenotworththeloweringofyourbodytemperature.
HomeEmergencyKitHaving put together a list of items that should in the emergency kit for the car, we are going to
turn today to the emergency kit for the home. If and when snow should keep you indoors, in and
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when the power should go out, it is important to be prepared so what exactly is it important to
have on hand to not just survive but to do so with a minimum of inconvenience?
The first thing youre going to need is an alternate form of heat. A fireplace requires dryfire wood, as does a wood stove. A kerosene heater requires fuel.
You are also going to need matches. It is best to have enough matches set aside in awaterproof container, especially for such emergencies. Do not rely on your regular supply
of matches! All too often you go to get them and find that they are gone. Do not takechances. Keep a separate supply specifically for emergencies.
Fully stocked first aid kit. Make sure that it is large enough to take care of everyone whois going to be in the house.
Blankets A battery-powered radio A battery-powered clock (your cell phone is not an option as it requires electricity to
recharge and you may no longer be able to use it if the emergency lasts) A can opener (Not an electric one) A multipurpose tool Plenty of supplies for your pets Battery-powered sources of light Plenty of batteries for all the above Plenty of special needs items like prescription medications, contact lens solution, diapers,
etc)
Plenty of drinking water (you might not be able to depend on tap water if the pipes freezeor burst). You will need 5 gallons per person.
Food (You are going to need food that wont go bad when the refrigerator looses power)o Dry food (Bread, crackers, dried fruit, jerky, cereal, cookies, etc)o Candy and Chocolate for energyo Canned foodo Baby formula (if you have infants)
Additional items you might want to have include:o Tarpso Duct Tapeo Scissorso Bleacho Surgical Maskso Rain gearo Gloves (rubber gloves and work gloves)o Bleacho Games, reading materials and other items to keep everyone entertained
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HeatingduringawinterpoweroutageAnytime
we
are
moving
to
an
alternate
form
of
heat
there
are
inherent
dangers
to
be
considered
especiallyifyouhavesmallchildrenand/orpetsinthehouse.Todaywearegoingtocomeupwitha
safetychecklistforthisalternateformofheattoensurethatstayingwarmdoesntturnintoatragedy.
Alltheseformsofheatareviableoptionsandinherentlysafeifcertainprecautionsaretaken.
Firstofallyouneedtoknowwhichalternateformsofheatarelegalinyourarea.Insomeareas,Keroseneheatersarenotallowed.Callyourlocalfiredepartmenttofindoutwhatisallowed
andwhatisnt.Whileyoureonthephonewiththem,askthemwhatrecommendationsthey
havefortheparticulartypeofheatyouaregoingtobeusingasabackup.
Secondly,beawarethatthesenewformsofheatmayposedifferentsafetyissuesthantheone(s)youusenormally.Understandwhichbyproductsaregivenoffforeachformofheatyou
aregoing
to
be
using
in
order
to
be
adequately
prepared.
Have
asmoke
detector
and
aCO
monitorinstalledifyoudontalreadyhaveone.Makesurethattheyareinworkingorderand
changethebatteriesinthefalleveryyeartomakesurethattheywontdiewhenyouneed
themmost(Thesummermonthswonttraditionallyrequireheatsotherisksarelessduring
thosemonths).
Ifyouhaveafireplaceorawoodstovethatyouaregoingtobeusing,makesurethattheyareinoperablecondition.Getthechimneycleanedbyaprofessionalor,ifyouaretheDIYtype,make
sureyouknowwhatyouaredoingandmakesurethatthejobisdoneright.Afterthestormhits
isnotthetimetobeclimbingupontherooftryingtoclearachimneythathasbeencloggedby
abirdsnestorobstructed.Neitherareyougoingtobehappyifachimneyfirestartsbecause
thechimneybuilduphasnotbeenproperlycleanedout.
Anotheralternateformofheatmayincludeelectricheaterspoweredbyagenerator.Makesurethatthegeneratorisingoodworkingorder.Getitservicedinthefalltomakesureitsgoingto
fireupwhenyouneedit.
Neverputspaceheatersontopofortooclosetofurnitureordrapes Onlyuseelectricheatersthatautomaticallyshutoffandhavenonglowingelements.Makesure
thatallheatersareULapproved,inspectedandcleanbeforeusingthem.
Alwayshaveafireextinguisherreadilyavailable Ifyouareusingagenerator,makesurethatitisfarenoughfromthehousetoproperlyventilate
sothatCOisntpipingbackintothehouse.NEVERrunageneratorinsidethehouse,inthe
garageorinanyotherenclosedspace.
IfusingextensioncordsmakesurethattheyareULratedandadequatefortheusageyouareputting
them
to
Keepanyorallelectriccords,generatorsandheatersawayfromwater.Beawareofthe
surroundingareaaswell.Justbecausethereisntanywatertherenowdoesntmeanthatif
wontbelater.Knowwhereleakscouldcomefrom,wheredripsmightaccumulateorwhere
runningwatermightcomefrom;alsobeawareofareaswherecondensationmightbecomean
issue.
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Donotuseheaterswhileyouaresleepingorwhenyouarentaround.Donotusewheresmallchildrenandpetsareunsupervised.Makesurethatthechildrenandpetscannotgettothe
heaterandburnthemselves.
WhattododuringawinterstormNowthatallthepreparationshavebeenmade,letslookatwhattodoandwhatnottodooncethe
winterstormhits.
Watchinfantsclosely.Infantsloosebodyheataloteasierandalotfasterthanadultsdo.Additionally,theirtinybodiescantgeneratethekindofheatthatanadultscanbyshivering.
Becauseofthis,itisimperativethatyoumonitorthemcloselyandmakesurethattheyare
getting
enough
heat.
Do
not
let
them
sleep
in
an
unheated
room.
Wrap
them
warmly
and,
if
necessary,shareyouownbodyheatbuttakeprecautionsnottorolloveronthemwhile
sleeping.
Watchelderlypeoplecloselyaswell.Becauseofaslowermetabolismandaninabilitytomoveasmuch,theytoodonotgenerateasmuchbodyheat.Makesurethattheytooarewarmly
dressedandwrapped.Thinkaboutelderlyneighborsandfamily.Theyoftenwillnotactively
seekouthelp.
Checkthetemperatureinthehouseonaregularbasis,notjustinthemainroombutinotherroomsaswell,ifanyoneisgoingtobespendingtimethere,especiallyifsleeping.
Leavetapsslightlyopeninordertokeepwaterpipesfromfreezingandbursting Sealoffunusedroomsandstufftowelsunderthedoorstocontainheatintheareasyouwillbe
using.Keepoutsidedoorsandwindowsclosedasmuchaspossibleinordernottoallow
accumulatedheattoescape.
Donotusesnowasasourceofwater,exceptasaverylastresort.Getwaterfromneighborsoranyothersourcefirst.Ifyouabsolutelymustusesnowasasourceofwater,boilitfirsttokill
anymicroorganismsandparasites(Boilingwillnot,however,removeanyofthechemicalsand
pollutantswhichmaybeharmfultoyou).
Eatwellbalancedmeals.Eatingisntenough.Duringextremecold,morethananyothertime,youneedtomakesurethatyouaregettingnotonlyenoughcaloriesbutenoughvitaminsand
mineralstoallowyoubodytofunctionatitsbest.
Donotdrinkalcoholorcaffeinatedbeveragesastheydehydrateandcauseyoutoloseheatrapidly.
Asmuchaspossible,drinkwarmbeveragestoincreaseyoucoretemperature.Evenwaterorother
beverages
should
not
be
ice
cold;
try
to
drink
them
as
warm
as
you
can
in
order
not
to
loweryourbodytemperature.
Trytokeepaircirculationtoaminimuminordertoavoidlosingheatbutdonotdosoattheexpenseofindoorairquality.Whencooking,beawareoftheriskstotheairqualityandtake
adequatemeasurestoprotectagainstthem.Neveruseacharcoalorgasgrillindoors,the
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outcomecanbefatalandeveryyearwehearofoneormorepeoplesuffocatingindoors
becauseofit.
Playboardgames,singsongs,tellstories,readstoriesaloud,etcinordertokeepeveryoneinagood
frame
of
mind.
Do
not
allow
the
mood
to
become
bleak
and
depressing.
The
way
we
respondtoourcircumstancesandadversitiesiscrucialtohowwedealwiththem.Staying
positiveandupbeatgoesalongway.
StayingsafewhileoutinthebadweatherFrostbiteandhypothermiaaretwoofthemoredangeroushazardsthatyouarelikelytoencounter
whileoutsideincoldweather.Understandingwhattheyare,whatthesymptomsareandhowtoprotect
againstthemiscrucial.
Keypointsinprotectingagainstextremeweather:
LayeryourclothingLayersallowtheairpocketsbetweenlayerstowarmupandworkasaddedinsulation.
StaydryMoistureandhumidityretaincoldandtransferittothebody(Sweat,isafterall,intendedtocoolthebodydownwhenitheatsup)
Beawarenotonlyofwhatisbelowyoufeetbutalsoaboveyourhead.Becarefuloficeandsnowaccumulationthatmayfallonyou.
Beawareofwhatisunderthesnowthatyouarewalkingthrough.Icecanoftenwarmupunderthesnowandbecomethinenoughtoposeaserioushazard.
Makesurethatsomeonealwaysknowswhereyouareatwhenyouareoutinextremeweather.Ifpossibledonotgooutalone.Ifyouneedtogooutalonemakesurethatyounotifysomeone
of
where
exactly
you
will
be
going
and
when
they
can
expect
you
back.
Protectallexposedskin. Listentoyourbody.Whenyoustarttofeelnumb,whenyoustarttoshiver,whenyoustartto
feelsleepy,theseareallsignsthatyouneedtopayattentionto.
Understandhowthewindchillfactoraffectsyou.Thefollowingchartwillhelpyoudressandrespondappropriatelybasedonthewindspeed
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HypothermiaFirstofall,weneedtodispelthemyththathypothermiaissomethingthatonlyoccursinextremelycold
weather.Thoughitismorelikelywithextremecold,hypothermiacansetintemperaturesthatare
consideredonlycool.Hypothermiacansetinwhenevertheoutsidetemperaturecoolsyourbodyfaster
thanyourbodycangenerateheat.Recognizingthesignsofhypothermiaiscrucialasearlyaspossible
becauseitcanquicklycausethebraintonolongerfunctionproperlyimpedingyourabilitytothink
correctly.
Certainpeoplearemorepronetohypothermiasoitisimportanttoknowifyouorsomeoneyouknowis
inoneofthefollowingcategories:
Infantsandveryyoungchildrenwhosebodiescantgenerateasmuchheatorasrapidlyasadults.
Elderlypeoplewhosebodiesoftenbegintofunctionslower Peopletakingdrugsoralcohol Peoplewhospendlongperiodsoftimeoutinthecold Peoplewhoaredehydratedorundernourished
Warningsignsofhypothermiaare: Fatigueand/orexhaustion Drossiness Shivering Disorientation
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Speechproblems(slurringofwords,losingthetrainofthought,mumbling,etc) Memoryloss Reddeningoftheskin Coldandclammyskin
HandlinghypothermiaIfyoucan,takethepersonstemperature.Temperaturebelow95degreesrequiresimmediatemedical
attention.Getthemtoahospital.Ifthetemperatureisjustabove95degreesorifthereisnowaytoget
toahospitalyouneedtowarmthepersonup.Takethesesteps:
Getthemsomewherewarm Removeanywetclothingimmediately Warmthecoreofthebodyfirst,thismeansthechestarea,theneck,theheadandthegroin
area.
Useblankets,heaters,electricblanketsaswellasskintoskincontact.Ifyouarewarm,yourownbodywarmthcanrapidlyhelpincreasethevictimsbodytemperature.Makesure,however,
thatyouarestayingwarmaswell.Twovictimsinsteadofoneisnothelpful.
Administerwarmbeverages(noalcohol) Keepthepersonwarmandgetthemtoahospitalassoonaspossibleiftheirtemperaturefell
below95degreesatanypoint.
AvoidingFrostbiteYesterdaywelookedathypothermia.Theotherrealdangerinwinterandextremecoldweatheris
frostbite.
Frostbitecomesaboutwhentheskintissueiskilledbecauseoffreezing.Exposedskinisthemost
susceptiblebuttoesandfinger,evenwhentheyarecoveredarealsoatrisk.Otherhighriskareasare
thenose,cheeks,earsandchin.Peoplewithpoorcirculationareatahigherriskforfrostbite.
Symptomsoffrostbite: Discoloredskin(whiteorgrayishyellow) Numbness Skinthatistough(likeleather)orwaxyratherthansupple
Therearethreedifferentlevelsoffrostbite:
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(takenfromWikipediaathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frostbite) FrostnipOnlytheverytoplayeroftheskinisaffected.Thereareusuallynolonglastingeffects
fromthisleveloffrostbite.
SuperficialfrostbiteThefrostbitegoesalittledeeperbutdoesntgoallthewaydown DeepfrostbiteThefrostbitepenetratesdeeplyintotheskin.Thisleveloffrostbitealways
leavesscaringandmayrequireamputationforwidespreadareaorfingers,noseandtoes.
Preventingfrostbite:Stayingwarmandproperlycoveringallexposedskinistheonlywaytopreventfrostbite.Donotstayin
extremecoldforextendedperiodsoftime.Coverallexposedskin.Keepmovingwheninextremecold
tokeepcirculationgoing.
Treatingfrostbite: Avoidwalkingonfrostbittenfeetandtoes,itwillincreasethedamagetotheskin Donotrubormassagefrostbittenareasasthistoowillincreasethedamage Getinsideawarmareatoeliminatefurtherdamage
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Immersefrostbittenareainwarmwaterthatiscomfortabletothetouchofunaffectedareas.Neverimmerseinhotwater.
Usebodyheattoslowlythawoutfrostbittenareas(putfrostbittenfingersinarmpitsorbetween
legs)
Bewareofdirectheattofrostbittenareasoftheskin.Becausetheskinisnumb,itcanveryeasilybeburned,increasingdamage.
Extremecasesoffrostbitecanrequireamputation.Seekprofessionalmedicalhelpassoonaspossible.
MentalattitudeOneofthemostimportantbutleasttalkedaboutaspectsofwintersafetyhastodowiththemental
aspect.This
is
probably
one
of
the
main
reasons
to
prepare
for
such
an
emergency.
Your
confidence
and
knowledgeofthefactthatyouarereadytofaceawinterstormiscrucialtothementalattitudeandthe
atmosphereduringtheemergency.
Childrenareespeciallysensitivetothemoodintheroom,tothewayadultsaroundthemhandle
emergencies.Thebestgiftthatyoucangiveyourchildreninsuchanemergencyisasensethat
everythingisgoingtobefinebecausemomanddadarecalmandprepared.
Knowingwhattodo,havingaplan,havingtheappropriateemergencykits,etcareallkeytoagood
mentalattitude.
Otherthings
that
you
can
to
do
keep
aproper
mental
attitude:
Maketheemergencyfunbycampinginthelivingroom Playgamestogether(rediscoverboardgamesandcardgames) Doapuzzletogether Hostaskitnight MakeSmoresinthefireplace Ifyoucan,getoutandhavefuninthesnow(gosledding,makeasnowmanorasnowfort,
etc)
Ultimately,anemergencylikeawinterpoweroutageorbeingsnowedincanbecomesomething
positiveifyouarepreparedandhavetherightframeofmind.Yearsfromnowthekidsarentgoingto
rememberthewinterof___whennothinghappenedbutIguaranteethattheyllrememberthewinter
youallgotsnowedintogetherandthepowerwasoutforthreedaysandyouendedupactually
spendingtimetogetherhavingfunwithouttheXbox360orthelargescreenTV.Whoknows,nextwinter
theymaygooutandturnoffthepowertotrytomakeyouthinktheresanotherpoweroutagejustto
trytorecreatethefun!
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8/14/2019 Cold Weather and Winter Safety
16/16
www.nationalsafetyinc.com
Page 16
NationalSafety,Inc.
Formoreinformation TheWinterweathersectionoftheCenterforDiseaseControlandPrevention
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/
TheAmericanRedCrosshttp://www.redcross.org
ReadyAmericahttp://www.ready.gov/america/local/index.html