[HCRA] Fw: Cold Weather Safety Tips

[et-n1qko@juno.com]

From: "Rob Macedo" <rmacedo@rcn.com>
Hello to all...

It will be a cold week in Southern New England. Here are some cold
weather
safety tips to keep in mind:

NOUS41 KBOX 130245
PNSBOX
CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-NHZ011-012-RIZ001>007-141200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
944 PM EST SUN JAN 12 2003

...COLD WEATHER SAFETY TIPS...

NEW ENGLANDERS ARE USED TO COLD WEATHER...BUT IT DOESN'T HURT TO
REVIEW SOME COLD WEATHER SAFETY RULES.  ONE DAY THEY MIGHT HELP SAVE
YOUR LIFE.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO VERY COLD WEATHER FOR PROLONGED PERIODS...
FROSTBITE OR HYPOTHERMIA CAN RESULT.  THE WIND CHILL INDEX IS BASED
ON THE RATE OF HEAT LOSS FROM EXPOSED SKIN CAUSED BY THE COMBINED
EFFECTS OF WIND AND COLD.  AS THE WIND INCREASES...HEAT IS CARRIED
AWAY FROM THE BODY AT AN ACCELERATED RATE...DRIVING DOWN THE BODY
TEMPERATURE.  ANIMALS ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY WIND CHILL.

FROSTBITE IS DAMAGE TO BODY TISSUE CAUSED BY THAT TISSUE BEING
FROZEN.  IT CAUSES A LOSS OF FEELING AND A WHITE OR PALE APPEARANCE
IN EXTREMITIES SUCH AS FINGERS...TOES...EAR LOBES...OR THE TIP OF
THE NOSE.  IF SYMPTOMS ARE DETECTED...GET MEDICAL HELP IMMEDIATELY.
IF YOU MUST WAIT FOR HELP...SLOWLY REWARM AFFECTED AREAS.  HOWEVER...
IF THE PERSON ALSO SHOWS SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA...WARM THE BODY CORE
BEFORE THE EXTREMITIES.

THE WARNING SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA ARE UNCONTROLLABLE SHIVERING...
MEMORY LOSS...DISORIENTATION...INCOHERENCE...SLURRED SPEECH...
DROWSINESS...AND APPARENT EXHAUSTION.  TAKE THE PERSON'S
TEMPERATURE.  IF BELOW 95 DEGREES...SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE.
IF IT IS NOT AVAILABLE...BEGIN WARMING THE PERSON SLOWLY BY WARMING
THE BODY CORE FIRST.  IF NEEDED...USE YOUR OWN BODY HEAT TO HELP.
GET THE PERSON INTO DRY CLOTHING AND WRAP THEM IN A WARM BLANKET
COVERING THE HEAD AND NECK.  DO NOT GIVE THEM ALCOHOL...DRUGS...
COFFEE...OR ANY HOT BEVERAGE OR FOOD...WARM BROTH IS BETTER.
ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WARM THE ARMS AND LEGS FIRST BECAUSE THIS
WILL DRIVE COLD BLOOD FROM THE EXTREMITIES TO THE HEART...WHICH CAN
LEAD TO HEART FAILURE.

YOU SHOULD MAKE FREQUENT CHECKS ON THE ELDERLY TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEIR FURNACES ARE WORKING AND HEATING THE HOUSE PROPERLY.

AVOID ALCOHOL...SINCE IT MAKES THE BODY LOSE VALUABLE HEAT MUCH
MORE QUICKLY THAN OTHER FLUIDS.

BE PARTICULARLY CAREFUL WITH PORTABLE HEATERS...THERE IS DANGER OF
FIRE OR POISONOUS FUMES.

BE SURE TO CARRY EXTRA CLOTHING IF YOU MUST GO OUTSIDE DURING VERY
COLD WEATHER.  IF YOUR CAR STALLS DUE TO GAS LINE FREEZE-UP...YOU
WOULD NEED THOSE EXTRA CLOTHES...MITTENS...AND A HAT TO PROTECT
FROM THE DANGERS OF FROSTBITE OR HYPOTHERMIA.

VERY COLD WEATHER CAN CAUSE PIPES TO FREEZE OR BURST IN HOMES THAT
ARE POORLY INSULATED OR WITHOUT HEAT.  DO NOT WARM THEM USING AN
OPEN FLAME...USING A HAIR DRYER IS MUCH MORE SAFE.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A WIND CHILL ADVISORY WHEN THE
SUSTAINED WIND CAUSES WIND CHILLS FROM 15 TO 24 DEGREES BELOW ZERO
FOR AT LEAST THREE HOURS.  THIS CAN BE REACHED...FOR EXAMPLE...WHEN
THE AIR TEMPERATURE IS 5 DEGREES ABOVE ZERO AND THE SUSTAINED WIND IS
18 MPH. AT THESE TEMPERATURES...FROSTBITE CAN OCCUR IN AS LITTLE AS
30 MINUTES OF EXPOSURE.  IN NEW HAMPSHIRE...AN ADVISORY IS ISSUED
WHEN THE WIND CHILL INDEX IS BETWEEN 20 AND 29 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.

A WIND CHILL WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN WIND CHILL INDICES ARE
25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO OR COLDER FOR 3 HOURS...EXCEPT 30 DEGREES BELOW
ZERO OR COLDER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.  AT THESE LEVELS...FROSTBITE CAN
OCCUR IN 10 MINUTES OR LESS.

$$
FIELD

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
SEMCARES Emergency Coordinator