Table Of ContentnoitneverP dna lortnoC esaesiD rof sretneC
secivreS namuH dnA htlaeH fo tnemtrapeD .S.U
U.S. Department of Health And Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
/taehemertxe/bsh/hecn/vog.cdc.www//:ptth
vog.cdc@qniEHHE ;9876-232-888-1
7173-14303 AG ,atnaltA ,ywH drofuB 0074
25F SM ,htlaeH latnemnorivnE rof retneC lanoitaN
noitneverP dna lortnoC esaesiD rof sretneC
:tcatnoc esaelp ,htlaeh dna snoitidnoc rehtaew toh no noitamrofni erom roF
For more information on cold weather conditions and health, please contact:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Environmental Health, MS F52
4700 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717
1-888-232-6789; [email protected]
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/extremecold/
1
.smelborp htlaeh detaler-taeh htiw epoc dna ksir ot detaler snoitidnoc rehtO .ylkciuq taeh gnisaeler
,ezingocer ,tneverp nac uoy woh sllet telhpmap sihT.ssenlli morf ydob eht gnitneverp ,ylkciuq sa etaropave ton lliw
detaler-taeh tneverp dna smsinahcem gnilooc s’ydob eht taews ,hgih si ytidimuh eht nehW .rehtaew toh ylemertxe
dia taht serusaem htiw decnalab eb tsum ,etis noitcurtsnoc gnirud flesti looc ot ytiliba s’ydob eht tceffa srotcaf lareveS
eht ro dleif gniyalp eht no rehtehw ,ytivitca emitremmuS hen winter temperatures drop The emergency procedures outlined here
.snagro lativ rehto ro niarb eht egamad yam serutarepmet
significantly below normal, staying are not a substitute for training in first
.denoitidnoc-ria ydob hgih yreV .yldipar sesir erutarepmet ydob s’nosrep
warm and safe can become a chal- aid. However, these procedures will help
era taht seitilicaf cilbup ni emit gnidneps yb ssenlli a ,sesac hcus nI .hguone t’nsi tsuj gnitaews ,snoitidnoc
lenge. Extremely cold temperatures you to know when to seek medical care
detaler-taeh rof ksir rieht ecuder nac elpoep ,denoitidnoc-ria emos rednu tuB .gnitaews yb flesti slooc yllamron ydob
often accompany a winter storm, so you and what to do until help becomes available.
ton si emoh a fI .htaed dna ssenlli detaler-taeh tsniaga ehT .sevlesmeht looc ylreporp dna etasnepmoc ot elbanu
may have to cope with power failures and
rotcaf evitcetorp eno rebmun eht si gninoitidnoc-riA era seidob rieht nehw ssenlli detaler-taeh reffus elpoeP
icy roads. Although staying indoors as much as possiblecan
What Is Extreme Cold?
.rehtaew toh gnirud seitivitca lacisyhp suounerts ni
help reduce the risk of car crashes and falls on the ice, you
.erusopxe taeh evissecxe
etapicitrap yeht fi taeh ot bmuccus nac slaudividni yhtlaeh
may also face indoor hazards. Many homes will be too What constitutes extreme cold and its effects can vary
yb desuac erew shtaed 003 ,1002 nI .denibmoc sekauq
dna gnuoy neve ,revewoH .ksir tsehgih ta era sesaesid
cold—either due to a power failure or because the heating across different areas of the country. In regions relatively
-htrae dna ,sdoolf ,seodanrot ,gninthgil ,senacirruh morf
cinorhc dna ssenlli latnem htiw elpoep dna ,gnuoy yrev eht
system isn’t adequate for the weather. When people must unaccustomed to winter weather, near freezing temperatures
naht taeh emertxe morf deid yrtnuoc siht ni elpoep erom
,ylredle ehT .htaed ro ssenlli detaler-taeh a tneverp ot nekat
use space heaters and fireplaces to stay warm, the risk of are considered “extreme cold.” Whenever temperatures
,doirep siht gniruD .setatS detinU
eb nac snoitca tahw dna ksir tsetaerg ta si ohw fo erawa eb
household fires increases, as well as the risk of carbon drop decidedly below normal and as wind speed increases,
eht ni shtaed 510,8 desuac erusopxe
ot deen elpoep ,elbatneverp era shtaed detaler-taeh esuaceB
monoxide poisoning. heat can leave your body more rapidly. These weather-
taeh evissecxe ,9991 ot 9791 morf
related conditions may lead to serious health problems.
.esu lohocla ,yllacirotsiH .taeh emertxe ot bmuccus
Exposure to cold temperatures, whether indoors or outside,
Extreme cold is a dangerous situation that can bring on
dna gurd noitpircserp dna ,nrubnus ,noitalucric roop ,ssenlli elpoep ynam yllaunna tey elbatneverp
can cause other serious or life-threatening health problems.
health emergencies in susceptible people, such as those
latnem ,esaesid traeh ,noitardyhed ,revef ,ytisebo ,ega edulcni era ssenlli dna shtaed detaler-tae
Infants and the elderly are particularly at risk, but anyone
without shelter or who are stranded, or who live in a home
can be affected. To keep yourself and your family safe, you
that is poorly insulated or without heat.
should know how to prevent cold-related health problems
and what to do if a cold-weather health emergency arises.
1
2
Plan Ahead Emergency Supplies List:
.spmarc hcamots esuac .noitautis suoregnad
• an alternate way to heat your home during a power failure:
Prepare for extremely cold weather every winter—it’s nac yeht esuaceb ,sknird dloc yrev a si thguord a htiw denibmoc evaw taeh A .llafniar
- dry firewood for a fireplace or wood stove, or
always a possibility. There are steps you can take in advance yrev diova oslA .diulf ydob erom laitnatsbus tuohtiw sessap doirep gnol a nehw rucco sthguorD
- kerosene for a kerosene heater
for greater wintertime safety in your home and in your car. esol ot uoy esuac yllautca eseht .ytilibisiv wol dna smrots tsud ekovorp nac snoitidnoc toh
• furnace fuel (coal, propane, or oil)
—ragus fo stnuoma egral ro ,lohocla dna yrd ylevissecxE .dnuorg eht raen ria pmad ,yzah spart
• electric space heater with automatic
,enieffac niatnoc taht sdiuqil knird t’noD erusserp cirehpsomta hgih fo ”emod“ a nehw rucco ,serut
shut-off switch and non-glowing elements
-arepmet hgih fo trofmocsid eht ot dda hcihw ,snoitidnoc
• blankets .toh si rehtaew eht elihw knird
Winter Survival Kit for Your Home yggum ro dimuH .taeh emertxe sa denifed era skeew
• matches dluohs uoy hcum woh ksa ,sllip retaw no
Keep several days’ supply of these items: lareves rof tsal dna noiger eht rof erutarepmet hgih egareva
• multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher uoy sah ro knird uoy diulf fo tnuoma eht
eht evoba erom ro seerged 01 revoh taht serutarepmeT
• Food that needs no cooking or refrigeration, • first aid kit and instruction manual stimil yllareneg rotcod ruoy fI:gninraW ?taeH emertxE sI tahW
• flashlight or battery-powered lantern
such as bread, crackers, cereal, canned foods,
.ruoh hcae
• battery-powered radio
and dried fruits. Remember baby food and
sdiulf looc fo )secnuo 23–61( sessalg
• battery-powered clock or watch
formula if you have young children.
ruof ot owt knird ,tnemnorivne toh a ni
• extra batteries
• Waterstored in clean containers, or purchased
esicrexe yvaeh gniruD .knird ot ytsriht er’uoy
• non-electric can opener
bottled water (5 gallons per person) in case
litnu tiaw t’noD .level ytivitca ruoy fo sseldrager ,ekatni
• snow shovel
your water pipes freeze and rupture.
diulf ruoy esaercni ot deen lliw uoy rehtaew toh gniruD
• rock salt
• Medicinesthat any family member may need.
sdiulF fo ytnelP knirD
• special needs items (diapers,
hearing aid batteries,
If your area is prone to long periods of cold
medications, etc.) :tnatropmi era spit gniwollof
temperatures, or if your home is isolated, stock
ehT .esnes nommoc esu dna looc peek ot rebmemer ,hgih
additional amounts of food, water, and medicine.
ylemertxe era serutarepmet nehw htlaeh ruoy tcetorp oT
rehtaeW toH gniruD
2
3
Prepare Your Home for Winter Insulate any water lines that run along exterior walls so
no gnittup yb dna your water supply will be less likely to freeze. To the extent
Although periods of extreme cold cannot always be predicted
.tniaf ro ,kaew ,desufnoc ,dedaehthgil ,sessalgnus htiw possible, weatherproof your home by adding weather-
far in advance, weather forecasts can sometimes provide
emoceb uoy fi yllaicepse ,tser dna ,edahs eht otni tsael ta ro gnola )relooc uoy stripping, insulation, insulated doors and storm windows,
you with several days’ notice. Listen to weather
aera looc a otni teG .ytivitca lla POTS ,htaerb rof gnipsag speek osla( tah or thermal-pane windows.
forecasts regularly, and check your emergency supplies
uoy sevael dna dnuop traeh ruoy sekam taeh eht ni noitrexe demmirb-ediw
whenever a period of extreme cold is predicted.
If you have pets, bring them indoors. If you cannot bring
fI .yllaudarg ecap eht pu kcip dna ylwols trats ,tnemnorivne a gniraew yb nus
them inside, provide adequate shelter to keep them warm
toh a ni gnisicrexe ro gnikrow ot demotsucca ton era uoy fI eht morf flesruoy tcetorp If you plan to use a fireplace or wood stove for emergency
and make sure that they have access to unfrozen water.
flesruoY ecaP ,sroodtuo og tsum uoy fI .niks heating, have your chimney or flue inspected each year.
eht segamad dna niap sesuac osla tI .sdiulf ydob fo ssol a Ask your local fire department to recommend an inspector,
sesuac dna flesti looc ot ytiliba s’ydob ruoy stceffa nrubnuS or find one in the yellow pages of your telephone directory
.revocer ot ecnahc a evah lliw tatsomreht s’ydob
.gnihtolc gnittif-esool ,deroloc-thgil ,thgiewthgil esoohC under “chimney cleaning.”
ruoy taht os saera ydahs ni netfo
.emoh ta era uoy nehw elbissop sa gnihtolc elttil sa raeW
tser ot yrT .sruoh gnineve dna Also, if you’ll be using a fireplace, wood stove, or kerosene
neercsnuS dna
gninrom ot ytivitca roodtuo ruoy heater, install a smoke detector and a battery-operated
timil ot yrt ,sroodtuo eb tsum uoy fI gnihtolC etairporppA raeW carbon monoxide detector near the area to be heated. Test
ylluferaC seitivitcA them monthly, and replace batteries twice yearly.
roodtuO eludehcS .stelbat tlas gnikat ro egareveb strops
Your ability to feel a change in temperature decreases with
a gniknird erofeb rotcod ruoy htiw klat ,teid tlas-wol a no
age, and older people are more susceptible to health
era uoy fi ,revewoH .taews ni esol uoy slarenim dna tlas eht
.snoitcerid egakcap problems caused by cold. If you are over 65 years old,
ecalper nac egareveb strops A .ruoh hcae sdiulf cilohocla
eht ot gnidrocca ti ylppaer ot eunitnoC place an easy-to-read thermometer in an indoor
-non ,looc fo sessalg ruof ot owt knird ,esicrexe tsum uoy
.tuo gniog ot roirp setunim 03 )slebal location where you will see it frequently, and
fI .decalper eb tsum dna ydob ruoy rof yrassecen era esehT
rieht no ”noitcetorp BVU/AVU“ ro check the temperature of your home often
.ydob eht morf slarenim dna tlas sevomer gnitaews yvaeH
”murtceps daorb“ yas stcudorp evitceffe during the winter months.
slareniM dna tlaS ecalpeR
tsom eht( rehgih ro 51 FPS fo neercsnus
3
4
Prepare Your Car for Winter
You can avoid many dangerous winter travel problems by
planning ahead. Have maintenance service on your vehicle as Winter Survival Kit for Your Car .gnihctaw tneuqerf erom hcum deen ,esruoc fo ,nerdlihc gnuoy .yad a eciwt tsael ta meht no
often as the manufacturer recommends. In addition, every fall: dna stnafnI .ekorts taeh ro noitsuahxe taeh fo sngis rof meht kcehc ,puorg ega siht ni enoemos wonk uoy fI .evaw taeh a
Equip your car with these items: hctaw ylesolc dna yad a eciwt tsael ta ksir ta stluda tisiV gnirud yad a eciwt uoy no kcehc ot llac evitaler ro dneirf a
• Have the radiator system serviced, or check the
evah ,redlo ro ega fo sraey 56 era uoy fI .ssensuoicsnoc esol
antifreeze level yourself with an antifreeze tester. • blankets • tow rope .taeh emertxe yb detceffa eb yam ,noitalucric ro desufnoc emoceb ot nosrep a esuac nac ssenlli decudni
Add antifreeze, as needed. • first aid kit • tire chains (in areas roop ro ,ainmosni ,noisserped rof sa hcus ,snoitacidem -taeH .uoy rof emas eht od enoemos evah dna srekrow-oc
• Replace windshield-wiper fluid with a wintertime mixture. • a can and waterproof with heavy snow) niatrec ekat ohw ro ,erusserp doolb hgih ro esaesid ruoy fo noitidnoc eht rotinom ,taeh eht ni gnikrow nehW
• Replace any worn tires, and check the air matches (to melt • collapsible shovel traeh htiw yllaicepse ,lli yllacisyhp era ohw elpoeP • metsyS ydduB a esU
pressure in the tires. snow for water) • container of water .ssenkcis taeh ot elbitpecsus dna detardyhed emoceb
• windshield scraper and high-calorie yam esicrexe ro krow gnirud trexerevo ohw elpoeP •
.emoh ruoy ni
During winter, keep the gas tank near • booster cables canned or dried foods .taeh ydob erom niater ot ycnednet rieht fo esuaceb
erutarepmet relooc a niatniam ot ssel nevo dna evots ruoy esU
full to help avoid ice in the tank • road maps and a can opener ssenkcis taeh ot enorp eb yam thgiewrevo era ohw elpoeP •
.ffo looc ot yaw retteb hcum a si ecalp denoitidnoc-ria na
and fuel lines. • mobile phone • flashlight and extra .erutarepmet ni egnahc ot dnopser dna
ot gnivom ro htab ro rewohs looc a gnikaT .ssenlli detaler
• compass batteries esnes ot ylekil ssel era dna yltneiciffe sserts taeh rof
-taeh tneverp ton lliw snaf ,s09 hgih eht ni si erutarepmet
• tool kit • canned compressed etasnepmoc ton yam redlo ro ega fo sraey 56 elpoeP •
eht nehw tub ,trofmoc edivorp yam snaf cirtcelE .aera ruoy
• paper towels air with sealant (for .sdiuqil etauqeda
ni sretlehs feiler-taeh yna era ereht fi ees ot tnemtraped
• bag of sand or cat litter emergency tire repair) edivorp dna stnemnorivne rieht etaluger ot srehto no
htlaeh lacol ruoy llaC .taeh eht otni kcab og uoy nehw
(to pour on ice or snow • brightly colored cloth yler dna serutarepmet hgih fo stceffe eht ot evitisnes
relooc yats ydob ruoy pleh nac gninoitidnoc ria ni tneps
for added traction) era ega fo sraey ruof ot pu nerdlihc dna stnafnI •
sruoh wef a neve—yrarbil cilbup ro llam gnippohs eht
.srehto naht ksir retaerg ta era elpoep emos ,ssenlli ot og ,gninoitidnoc ria evah ton seod emoh ruoy fI .ecalp
detaler-taeh morf reffus nac emit yna ta eno yna hguohtlA denoitidnoc-ria na ni yats ,elbissop lla ta fi ,dna sroodni yatS
ksiR hgiH ta esohT rotinoM sroodnI looC yatS
4
5
Indoor Safety • Avoid using extension cords to plug in your space heater.
• If your space heater has a damaged electrical cord or
.aera ydahs a ni retaw eht evael
produces sparks, do not use it.
Heat Your Home Safely
dna ,step ruoy rof retaw hserf fo ytnelp edivorP •
• Store a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher
.rac dekrap a ni step ro ,nerdlihc ,stnafni evael ton oD • If you plan to use a wood stove, fireplace, or space heater,
near the area to be heated.
.sehcaeb sa hcus erusopxe ereves laitnetop fo secalp be extremely careful. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
ni dna sruoh yad-dim gnirud erusopxe nus timiL • as well as the home safety measures on page 3, and remember Light and Cook Safely
.allerbmu na ro stah htiw secaf dna sdaeh rieht edahs these safety tips:
If there is a power failure:
dna gnihtolc esool ,looc ni nerdlihc dna stnafni sserD •
• Use fireplace, wood stoves, or other combustion
• Use battery-powered flashlights or
.ydob ruoy ni slarenim dna stlas
heaters only if they are properly vented to the outside
lanterns rather than candles, if possible.
ecalper dna sdiulf fo ytnelp knirD •
and do not leak flue gas into the indoor air space.
• Never leave lit candles unattended.
.ydob ruoy ot taeh dda yeht
• Do not burn paper in a fireplace.
• Never use a charcoal or gas grill
—slaem yvaeh dna sdoof toh diovA •
• Ensure adequate ventilation if you must use a
indoors—the fumes are deadly.
:esnes nommoc esu dna looc peek ot rebmemeR kerosene heater.
esneS nommoC esU • Use only the type of fuel your heater is designed to Never use an electric generator indoors,
use—don’t substitute.
inside the garage, or near the air intake of your house
• Do not place a space heater within 3 feet of anythingthat
.yllaudarg ti ot pu krow dna ,esicrexe because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning:
may catch on fire, such as drapes, furniture, or bedding,
suorogiv yna gnitpmetta erofeb detamilcca emoceb
and never cover your space heater. • Plug in appliances to the generator using individual
ot syad lareves wolla ,etamilc rettoh a ot levart uoy fI
• Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water. heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords.
.taeh eht ot demotsucca emoceb uoy litnu ytivitca lacisyhp
• Never leave children unattended near a space heater. • Do not use the generator or appliances if they
ruoy timil uoy fi taeh rof ecnarelot retaerg a evah lliw
• Make sure that the cord of an electric space heater are wet because of the risk of electrocution.
uoY .ydob ruoy ot lufsserts eb lliw ,evaw taeh remmus ylrae
is not a tripping hazard but do not run the cord • Do not store gasoline indoors where
na sa hcus ,erutarepmet ni egnahc neddus yna taht erawa eB
under carpets or rugs. the fumes could ignite.
tnemnorivnE eht ot tsujdA
5
6
Conserve Heat years of age, check the temperature in your home often
during severely cold weather. Also, check on elderly
You may need fresh air coming in for your heater or for .tnemtaert dia tsrif evig ot
friends and neighbors frequently to ensure that their homes
emergency cooking arrangements. However, if you don’t ydaer eb dna ,nus eht ot erusopxerevo dna sredrosid taeh fo
need extra ventilation, keep as much heat as possible inside are adequately heated. ssensuoicsnocnU • smotpmys eht wonK .sessenlli detaler-taeh esuac nac ecalp
your home. Avoid unnecessary opening of doors or windows. noisufnoC • detaehrevo na ni gnol oot gniyats ro nus eht ni emit hcum oot
Close off unneeded rooms, stuff towels or rags in cracks Keep a Water Supply aesuaN • gnidneps ,yad toh a no hcum oot gnioD .smelborp htlaeh
under doors, and close draperies or cover windows with Extreme cold can cause water pipes in your ssenizziD • suoires esuac nac serutarepmet hgih fo sdoirep trohs nevE
blankets at night. home to freeze and sometimes rupture. ehcadaeh gnibborhT • seicnegremE
When very cold temperatures are expected: eslup gnorts ,dipaR •
Monitor Body Temperature )gnitaews on( htlaeH rehtaeW toH
• Leave all water taps slightly open so
niks yrd dna ,toh ,deR •
Infants less than one year old should never sleep in a cold
they drip continuously.
)yllaro ,F°301 evoba(
room because (1) infants lose body heat more easily than
• Keep the indoor temperature warm.
erutarepmet ydob hgih ylemertxe nA •
adults; and (2) unlike adults, infants can’t make enough
• Improve the circulation of heated air
body heat by shivering. Provide warm clothing for infants near pipes. For example, open kitchen :gniwollof eht edulcni
and try to maintain a warm indoor temperature. If the cabinet doors beneath the kitchen sink. yam tub yrav ekorts taeh fo sngis gninraW
temperature cannot be maintained, make temporary ekortS taeH gnizingoceR
arrangements to stay elsewhere. In an emergency, you can
If your pipes do freeze, do not thaw them with a torch.
keep an infant warm using your own body heat. If you must .dedivorp ton si tnemtaert ycnegreme fi ytilibasid
Instead, thaw them slowly by directing the warm air from
sleep, take precautions to prevent rolling on the baby. tnenamrep ro htaed esuac nac ekorts taeH .setunim 51 ot 01
an electric hair dryer onto the pipes.
Pillows and other soft bedding can also present a risk of nihtiw rehgih ro F°601 ot esir yam erutarepmet ydoB .nwod
smothering; remove them from the area near the baby. If you cannot thaw your pipes, or the pipes are ruptured, looc ot elbanu si ydob eht dna ,sliaf msinahcem gnitaews
use bottled water or get water from a neighbor’s home. As eht ,yldipar sesir erutarepmet s’ydob ehT .erutarepmet
Older adults often make less body heat because of a slower
an emergency measure—if no other water is available— sti etaluger ot elbanu si ydob eht nehw srucco ekorts taeH
metabolism and less physical activity. If you are over 65
snow can be melted for water. Bringing water to a rolling ekortS taeH
6
7
boil for one minute will kill most microorganisms or parasites Dress Warmly and Stay Dry
.tnemnorivne toh a ni gnisicrexe ro gnikrow elpoep dna
that may be present, but won’t remove chemical pollutants
,erusserp doolb hgih htiw elpoep ,elpoep ylredle era noitsuahxe Adults and children should wear:
sometimes found in snow.
taeh ot enorp tsom esohT .taews ni deniatnoc tlas dna
• a hat
retaw eht fo ssol evissecxe na ot esnopser s’ydob eht si tI
• a scarf or knit mask to
Eat and Drink Wisely
.sdiulf fo tnemecalper decnalabnu ro etauqedani dna seruta
cover face and mouth
-repmet hgih ot erusopxe fo syad lareves retfa poleved nac .elbissop sa noos sa ecnatsissa lacidem teG • Eating well-balanced meals will help you
• sleeves that are snug at the wrist
taht ssenlli detaler-taeh fo mrof redlim a si noitsuahxe taeH .knird ot sdiulf mitciv eht evig ton oD • stay warmer. Do not drink alcoholic or
• mittens (they are warmer than gloves)
noitsuahxE taeH .snoitcurtsni rehtruf rof moor ycnegreme latipsoh caffeinated beverages—they cause your
• water-resistant coat and boots
eht llac ,deyaled era lennosrep lacidem ycnegreme fI • body to lose heat more rapidly. Instead,
• several layers of loose-
.F°201–101 ot spord erutarepmet ydob eht litnu stroffe drink warm, sweet beverages or broth to
fitting clothing
gnilooc eunitnoc dna ,erutarepmet ydob rotinoM • help maintain your body temperature. If
.ylsuorogiv reh ro you have any dietary restrictions, ask
Be sure the outer layer of your clothing is tightly
mih naf dna teehs tew ,looc a ni mitciv eht parw ,wol si your doctor.
woven, preferably wind resistant, to reduce body-heat loss
ytidimuh eht fi ro ;retaw looc htiw nosrep eht egnops
caused by wind. Wool, silk, or polypropylene inner layers of
;esoh nedrag a morf retaw looc htiw mitciv eht yarps
Outdoor Safety clothing will hold more body heat than cotton. Stay dry—
;rewohs looc a ni nosrep eht ecalp ;retaw looc
wet clothing chills the body rapidly. Excess perspiration
fo but a ni mitciv eht esremmi ,elpmaxe roF .nac When the weather is extremely cold, and especially if there
will increase heat loss, so remove extra layers of clothing
uoy sdohtem revetahw gnisu yldipar mitciv eht looC • are high winds, try to stay indoors. Make any trips outside
whenever you feel too warm. Also, avoid getting gasoline
.aera ydahs a ot mitciv eht teG • as brief as possible, and remember these tips to protect your
.edis reh ro sih no mitciv eht or alcohol on your skin while de-icing and fueling your car
health and safety:
gninrut yb nepo sniamer yawria eht erus ekam ,gnitimov :gniwollof eht oD or using a snow blower. These materials in contact with the
si ereht fI .sdiulf evig ton od dna htuom eht ni tcejbo .mitciv eht gnilooc nigeb uoy elihw ecnatsissa lacidem skin greatly increase heat loss from the body. Do not ignore
yna ecalp ton od tub ,flesmih gnirujni morf mitciv eht peek etaidemmi rof llac enoemos evaH .ycnegreme gninetaerht-efil shivering. It’s an important first sign that the body is losing
,sneppah siht fI .ekorts taeh fo tluser a sa ylballortnocnu a htiw gnilaed eb yam uoy ,sngis eseht fo yna ees uoy fI heat. Persistent shivering is a signal to return indoors.
hctiwt ot nigeb lliw selcsum s’mitciv a semitemoS oD ot tahW
7
8
Avoid Exertion
.spmarc taeh rof noitnetta lacidem teg ,teid muidos-wol a no
Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart. If you have
era ro smelborp traeh evah uoy fI .ytivitca suounerts htiw
heart disease or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s
noitaicossa ni rucco yam taht—sgel ro ,smra ,nemodba
advice about shoveling snow or performing other hard
eht ni yllausu—smsaps ro sniap elcsum era spmarc taeH
work in the cold. Otherwise, if you have to do heavy out-
spmarC taeH gnizingoceR
door chores, dress warmly and work slowly. Remember,
your body is already working hard just to stay warm, so .noitsuahxe taeh .ruoh 1 naht regnol tsal ro nesrow smotpmys fi noitnetta
don’t overdo it. fo motpmys a eb osla yam spmarc taeH .spmarc lufniap lacidem kees dna ,ffo looc ot mitciv eht pleh ,esiwrehtO
sesuac selcsum eht ni level tlas wol ehT .erutsiom dna
Understand Wind Chill tlas s’ydob eht setelped gnitaews sihT .ytivitca suounerts erusserp doolb hgih ro smelborp traeh sah mitciv ehT •
gnirud tol a taews ohw elpoep tceffa yllausu spmarc taeH ereves era smotpmyS •
The Wind Chill index is the temperature your body feels
when the air temperature is combined with the wind speed. spmarC taeH :srucco gniwollof
It is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused eht fo yna fi yletaidemmi noitnetta lacidem keeS .ekorts
gnihtolc
by the effects of wind and cold. As the speed of the wind taeh ot ssergorp yam ti ,detaertnu si noitsuahxe taeh fI
thgiewthgiL •
increases, it can carry heat away from your body much .wollahs dna tsaf eb lliw gnihtaerb dna ,kaew dna tsaf eb lliw
tnemnorivne
more quickly, causing skin temperature to drop. When there etar eslup s’mitciv ehT .tsiom dna looc eb yam niks ehT
denoitidnoc-ria nA •
are high winds, serious weather-related health problems are
htab egnops ro ssenkaeW •
more likely, even when temperatures are only cool.
,htab ,rewohs looC • gnitniaF • ssenderiT •
The Wind Chill Chart to the right shows the difference tseR • gnitimov ro aesuaN • spmarc elcsuM •
between actual air temperature and perceived temperature, naicisyhp ruoy yb detcerid ehcadaeH • ssenelaP •
and amount of time until frostbite occurs. sa ,segareveb cilohoclanon ,looC • ssenizziD • gnitaews yvaeH •
:gniwollof eht edulcni evitceffe eb yam taht serusaem gnilooC :gniwollof eht edulcni noitsuahxe taeh fo sngis gninraW
National Weather Service (NWS) Wind Chill Chart adapted May 2004 from oD ot tahW noitsuahxE taeH gnizingoceR
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/
8
