FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 1, 2011

Safe behavior saves lives during extreme winter weather

Area Health Departments urge metro residents, visitors and workers to protect themselves during the heavy snow and extreme cold.

The National Weather Service has used the term “arctic” to describe the expected weather for the next several days. As the risks that accompany such severe weather are greatly increased, take the following steps to protect yourself and your family:

• If you don’t have to get out in this weather, don’t. Stay inside where it is warm.
• Use caution when doing outdoor activities. The snow and ice increase your risk of slipping and falling. Also, if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure, your body is already working extra just to keep you warm, and extra exertion may trigger a heart attack. Speak with your doctor before doing outside chores like shoveling snow.
• Remain alert for signs of hypothermia, including confusion or sleepiness, slowed or slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, slow reactions, and either a lot of shivering or no shivering because of stiffness in the arms or legs. If you notice these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.
• Watch for symptoms of frostbite, which is when skin begins to freeze. If your skin gets pale and begins to turn white, go inside, remove wet clothing, and soak the body part in warm (not hot) water until feeling returns. For more severe cases, the skin will start to look waxy and may turn completely white, grayish yellow or grayish blue. When numbness or blistering begin, it is a very serious health condition. Seek medical attention immediately. Do not rub or put heat directly on the damaged skin, as that can result in further damage.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which will cause your body to lose heat.
• If you do have to go outside, bundle up. Wear multiple layers of loose clothing that are tight at the wrist to hold in heat, gloves or mittens, earmuffs, a hat and knit scarf to cover your face, head and neck, and a waterproof or water-resistant outer coat.
• Keep dry; wet skin loses heat up to 25 times as fast as dry skin.
• If you stay inside, watch for signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, including headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea or dizziness. If you notice these symptoms, get fresh air and seek medical attention and tell them you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. Many fire departments will also test your home for carbon monoxide levels.
• Regularly test your carbon monoxide detector’s battery.
• Never cook inside using charcoal or outside grills, and don’t heat your home using gas appliances like ovens, ranges or clothes dryers. If you use a generator, follow the instructions included with it when it was purchased.
• If you lose power, do not leave candles unattended. You may need extra ventilation for your emergency heating and cooking arrangements; fuel powered generators, heaters and stoves greatly increase your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if not ventilated according to the instructions that accompany these devices. If you do not use these devices, keep heat inside by keeping windows closed, closing off unused rooms, closing drapes or covering windows with a blanket at night, and stuffing towels or rags in the cracks under doors.
• Do not warm up your car in the garage, even with the garage door open.

For more information on extreme cold weather safety, contact your local health department.

###