News Release: January 21, 2005
Contact: Janice Osborne, Director-Communications and Marketing
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
With the possibility of the seasons first significant snowfall expected for the weekend and the continued threat of frigid weather, consider safety first during the cold spell. Some simple precautions can keep you and your family safe against the cold, says Cordelia Miller, director of Emergency Services for the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Before you head outside, use these tips to make sure you have everything you need to protect your body from the extreme winter weather we are experiencing.
Protect Yourself from Freezing Temperatures
When you prepare to go outside in severe cold weather, please remember the following:
Most of your body heat is lost through your head so wear a hat, preferably one that covers your ears.
Dressing in warm layers helps you retain heat. You can remove layers as you need to, if you become too warm.
Mittens provide more warmth to your hands than gloves.
Recognize frostbite warning signs: gray, white or yellow skin discoloration, numbness, waxy feeling skin. Seek medical attention immediately if you have these symptoms.
Hypothermia is a serious condition. Warning signs for detecting severely low body temperature are memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, exhaustion, and uncontrollable shivering. People generally suffer from hypothermia after being over-exposed to extremely cold weather, dangerous wind chills, ice and snowstorms, freezing rain or sleet. Recognize the symptoms of hypothermia that can be a serious medical condition: confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering. Seek medical attention immediately if you have these symptoms.
Wear waterproof, insulated boots to help avoid hypothermia or frostbite by keeping your feet warm and dry and to maintain your footing in ice and snow.
Get out of wet clothes immediately and warm the core body temperature with a blanket or warm fluids like hot cider or soup. Avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol if you expect you or someone you are trying to help has hypothermia or frostbite.
Heat Your Home Safely
If families turn to alternative heating sources out of necessity or to avoid the rising cost of oil and gas, take the following precautions:
Do not use candles for lighting if the power goes out. Use flashlights only.
Have your chimney connections and flues inspected by a professional and cleaned if necessary prior to the start of every heating season. Use a sturdy screen when burning fires. Burn only wood never burn paper or pine boughs. If you have a portable generator and the power goes out, always plan to keep the generator outdoors never operate it inside, including the basement or garage. Do not hook up a generator directly to your home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Connecting a cord from the generator to a point on the permanent wiring system and back feeding power to your home is an unsafe method to supply a building with power.
Create a disaster supplies kit Get together lifesaving items in both your home and vehicle. Go to www.redcross.org for a list of materials.
Make sure alarms are working properly and replace batteries as necessary.
Don't overload your electrical outlets. Be careful of extension cords that present hazardous walkways.
Safe Travels
With snow and ice blanketing the Northeast, the American Red Cross reminds motorists to take extra care around travel this winter. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, about 70 percent of automobile accidents resulting in death are ice-or-snow related.
"During inclement weather the wisest thing to do is to stay off the roads," said Miller. "Keep a close watch on local weather forecasts and plan your travel around that information. Be ready by assembling and carrying the items listed below in case you have to travel or are caught by surprise during a winter storm.
Winter Travel Survival Kit
- Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- Booster cables
- Fire extinguisher (5 lb., A-B-C type)
- First aid kit and manual
- Bottled water and non-perishable high-energy foods, such as granola bars, raisins and peanut butter
- Compass and road maps
- Shovel
- Tire repair kit and pump
- Flares
- Extra clothing to keep dry
- Sack of sand or cat litter (for tire traction)
- Tow rope
- Knife
Miller also reminds people to carry a charged cell phone. Plan long trips carefully and travel during daylight hours. Let others know your travel route, destination and expected arrival time. Keep your gas tank at least half full and give yourself some extra time to reach your destination. If you find yourself on the roads during a winter storm, keep the following information in mind:
Storm Survival Tips - Keep an ear tuned to the radio for the latest road conditions.
- Drive with your headlights on.
- Keep all your windows clear of snow for visibility.
- Don't drive faster than you can see ahead.
- Leave extra space between your automobile and others on the road.
- Remember bridges and overpasses usually freeze before other roads. Use caution.
- Make sure you are buckled up.
Another 25 percent of winter deaths can be attributed to people being caught out in a storm. The National Weather Service reports that many people die each year when they attempt to leave their vehicle during a storm to walk to safety. Instead, stranded drivers should stay with the car, tie a piece of cloth to the car's antenna, and keep the car running while using the heater 10 minutes out of each hour. People should remember to keep their interior lights on while the engine is running, and to avoid hypothermia by constantly moving their arms and legs.
For more valuable information on preparing for cold weather, contact the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley at (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org or www.redcross.org.
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents in Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to more than 20,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents. For more information or volunteer opportunities, visit www.redcrosslv.org.
