[W1SMH] Cold Weather Safety Tips

[Martin Pyne]

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
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503  (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929  (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo