Cold Weather Safety Advice

Cold weather can bring more than just chills. It can also cause emergencies. But these emergencies can be prevented by taking simple precautions.

News Three's Meterologist Kris Posman suggests the following:

Tips for you
1. Dress appropriately before going outdoors. The air temperature doesn't have to be below freezing for someone to experience cold emergencies such as hypothermia and frostbite. Wind speed can create dangerously cold conditions even when the temperature is not that low.

2. Dress in layers so you can adjust to changing conditions. Avoid overdressing or overexertion that can lead to heat illness.

3. Most of your body heat is lost through your head so wear a hat, preferably one that covers your ears.

4. Mittens provide more warmth to your hands than gloves.

Tips for Pets
1. Keep pets inside if possible, especially short-haired or small dogs. If not, increasing their food by 50 percent will help them generate more heat.

2. Keep cats indoors.

3. Long-haired dogs can remain outside, but they must have fresh water and shelter from the cold.

Tips for Pipes
Pipes are especially vulnerable during freezing weather. Pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and attics are most vulnerable.

Before freezing sets in...
1. remove garden hoses from outside faucets and wrap exposed faucets and pipes.

2. The temperature inside the walls of your home, where pipes are located, is substantially colder that the walls themselves. Keep the house heated to around 65 degrees to keep these pipes from freezing.

3. Keep kitchen and bath pipes exposed to warm air by opening cupboard doors below sinks.

4. Turn on faucets to a slow drip to keep water moving.

Prevent Home Heating Fires
1. Provide constant adult supervision in rooms with lit candles or fires.

2. Keep fire in the fireplace by using glass or metal fire screens.

3. Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.

4. Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.

5. Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave the room or go to sleep.

6. If you must use space heaters, place them on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

Additional suggestions for cold weather precautions:

What to do if you are going to be out in the cold for long periods of time

Cold weather safety advice for dogs

Cold weather safety advice for cats

CDC's Winter Weather Safety Guide

Severe Weather Alerts