The American Red Cross would like to remind people to remember the following safety tips in cold weather:
Dressing: Most of your body heat is lost through your head, so wear a hat and dress in layers. Wear waterproof and insulated boots. Mittens provide more warmth than gloves.
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 have hypothermia or frostbite.
Recognize the symptoms of hypothermia: confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering.
Recognize frostbite warning signs: gray, white or yellow skin discoloration, numbness and waxy feeling skin.
Do not use candles for lighting if the power goes out. Use flashlights only.
Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything flamable. Also, do not dry clothing over space heaters.
Never leave space heaters operating when you are not in the room or when you go to bed.
If you use a portable generator during a power outage, operate it outdoors.
Have your chimney connections and flues inspected and cleaned if necessary prior to the start of every heating season.
Use a sturdy fireplace screen when burning fires. Burn only wood.
To protect your pipes from bursting, keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage and open cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
When the temperature is very low, let the cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes or pipes in exterior walls. Running water prevents pipes from freezing because the temperature of the water running through it is above freezing.
Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature during the day and at night.
If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat set to a temperature no lower than 55 degrees.
For more tips, call the Granite Chapter at 800-464-6692 or visitconcord-redcross.org.
