How to Stay Safe in Extreme Cold
Most of the United States is experiencing record lows this week. In some places, the weather can be colder than you’ve seen in your entire life. Here’s what to know when a chill sets in.
Warm dress
Okay, you knew that. But if you have not had to gather truly, do not forget the following:
- Many thinner layers can be as good as one really warm. You may not have a coat warm enough, but you could wear a shirt, sweater, hoodie, and then a jacket. Wear tights or leggings under your pants.
- Mittens are warmer than gloves.
- One of your outer layers should be windproof. A thin raincoat and a few sweaters work better than a warm windproof coat.
- When you go outside, cover as much of your exposed skin as possible. Consider a balaclava or face scarf.
- The hat really helps even indoors.
Watch the wind
Temperature isn’t everything. If you’re concerned about frostbite, the cold wind takes into account the temperature and wind speed to get a more accurate idea of how cold winter air will feel on your skin.
Meteorological services often have their own calculations (RealFeel, “looks like”) that take into account other factors such as sun and humidity, but the idea is roughly the same. If it’s -4 but “looks like” to -21, pay more attention to this second number.
Do not stay outside for long periods of time when it is particularly cold in the wind. If you need to stay outside, protect your skin from the cold – even turning your face from the wind will help a little. Here’s a handy chart from the National Weather Service, or check out their calculator here .
A cold wind warning means that a dangerous level of cold is expected in your area (frostbite can occur within minutes). Slightly less important are wind chill hours, which means dangerous levels of cold are possible, and wind chill recommendations, which means very cold weather is expected.
By paying attention to very cold winds, cold or “felt” by numbers, you can plan your time outside to avoid the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
How to avoid frostbite
What is it
Damage to the body (most often to the face, ears, fingers and toes) caused by frostbite. In extreme cases, frostbite may require amputation. Frostbite is more likely if you have poor circulation, but anyone can get it.
Signs to watch out for
You may not notice frostbite on yourself because your face or fingers may become numb even before any signs of frostbite appear.
To find frostbite in others, look for skin that is white or greyish-yellow, firm, or waxy.
Redness or pain is a sign that you need to get out of a cold immediately.
What to do
The CDC notes that if someone has frostbite, you need to ask yourself two important questions:
- Can I get medical help for this person?
- Do they also have hypothermia? (Hypothermia is a medical emergency and should be your top priority.)
If you are reading this at home and not in the remote arctic desert, you should head to your local emergency room or emergency clinic rather than trying to treat frostbite yourself.
But one way or another, you need to slowly and carefully warm up the affected areas of the body. Avoid walking on frostbitten toes if you can. which does more damage. But if possible, get to a warm place.
Then use warm (not hot) water or other mild heat, such as placing frostbitten fingers under your hands to warm them with body heat. Thawing frozen tissue can be painful. Eric Mack wrote about his experience at Forbes :
I remember one man asked me to hold out my hands. He squeezed the frozen tips of my fingers and I felt nothing. No sensation, only numbness, which I felt from the middle of the way.
At that moment, a bowl of warm water was placed on my knees, and I began a long and painful process of defrosting eight frozen fingertips. During what seemed like hours, but was probably only 20 minutes, my fingers throbbed and melted as shooting pains marked the awakening of my nerves.
How to avoid hypothermia
What is it
Hypothermia is a low body temperature. Normally, our bodies generate heat to maintain a constant internal temperature, but if you stay in the cold for too long, you may lose more heat than you can produce.
Hypothermia is not only a winter hazard; it can also happen in cool temperatures if the person is wet (for example, after falling into a lake or sweating during a sporting event).
Signs to watch out for
Low body temperature affects brain function, so a person suffering from hypothermia may not be aware that something is wrong. Some signs another person may be seeing, according to the CDC :
- Confusion, slurred speech
- Shiver
- Depletion
- Movement problems such as clumsy hands
- Babies have red, cold skin and low energy.
Measure the temperature of the person. Temperatures below 95 degrees Fahrenheit are an emergency. If a person loses consciousness, he needs immediate medical attention; if they have no pulse or seem to stop breathing, perform CPR while waiting for help.
What to do
Again, this is a situation where medical attention is needed, but if help is not available, you need to slowly and gently rewarm the person.
- Get into a warm place
- Take off wet clothes.
- Warm their torso first, ideally with electric blankets. Skin-to-skin contact (under the covers) can also work.
- If they can drink, offer them warm soft drinks such as tea. (This can help warm their bodies.)
- Once temperatures return to normal, cover them with blankets and dry clothing, including head and neck.
Indoor safety
Keep your home warm
Your heater may not withstand extreme cold, especially if your home is poorly insulated.
If you lose heat or the heater can’t keep up with it, close unnecessary rooms. Heaters can come in handy, but keep them away from anything that is flammable.
Never run a generator indoors or use a gas oven to heat your home. Both of these methods can fill your home with carbon monoxide, a deadly, odorless gas. You should already have a carbon monoxide detector; if not, take it.
Don’t let the pipes freeze
Pipes in the outer walls of your home can freeze. Know how to shut off the water if necessary and, if possible, find your pipes and find out if they are insulated. If your pipes have frozen in the past, don’t be surprised if this happens again.
To reduce the chance of pipes freezing, let hot and cold water trickle out overnight and open cabinet doors next to the pipes (for example, pipes under the sink). This lets a little more heat into the house next to the pipes.
If the pipes are frozen, use a hair dryer to heat them up, not an open flame. Setting fire to the house is not the heat you want.