Stay safe this record breaking winter season

2/17/2021 (Permalink)

Millions of people in the United States are under some kind of winter warning or advisory as extreme cold, snow and ice threaten almost the entire country. The American Red Cross is responding in some regions and watching the extreme weather to determine if more help is needed.
Millions of people are without power and several states have declared emergencies. The winter blanket extends from the East Coast to the West Coast and from Texas to Maine with icy roads, power outages and dangerously low temperatures threatening to snarl traffic and paralyze cities from coast to coast.
As many as 3.2 million people are without power in Texas as record-low temperatures brought a demand for power that the state's electric grid could not keep up with. Right now, the Red Cross is helping to support warming centers across Texas by providing cots, blankets, volunteers, water and ready-to-eat meals when requested. Red Cross workers are standing by to support local responses to the storms as needed.
“The dangerously cold weather we’ve experienced over the past week is unprecedented for the state of Texas,” said Keith Rhodes, CEO, American Red Cross North Texas Region. “Amid below freezing temperatures, tens of thousands have lost access to gas and water, and millions have lost power leaving residents looking for alternative ways to keep their families warm. With additional extreme winter weather forecasted, the Red Cross is working with government and community partners to support warming centers across the region for temporary relief from the elements.”
The American Red Cross urges everyone to stay safe and stay at home if possible, and offers these steps to follow:
GET RED CROSS READY Make sure you have enough heating fuel on hand. Stay indoors and wear warm clothes. Layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing will keep you warmer than a bulky sweater. Check on relatives, neighbors and friends, particularly if they are elderly or if they live alone. Keep your vehicle’s gas tank full to keep the fuel line from freezing.
Don’t forget your pets. Bring your companion animals indoors. Create a place where your other animals can be comfortable in severe winter weather. Horses and livestock should have a shelter where they can be protected from wind, snow, ice, and rain. Grazing animals should have access to a protected supply of food and non-frozen water.

STAY SAFE OUTSIDE
• Wear layered clothing, mittens or gloves, and a hat. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.
• Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from severely cold air. Avoid taking deep breaths; minimize talking.
• Keep dry. Change wet clothing frequently to prevent a loss of body heat.
• Stretch before you go out. If you go out to shovel snow, do a few stretching exercises first to reduce your chances of muscle injury.
• Avoid overexertion, such as shoveling heavy snow, pushing a vehicle, or walking in deep snow. The strain may cause a heart attack. Sweating could lead to a chill and hypothermia.
• Walk carefully on snowy, icy sidewalks. Slips and falls occur frequently in winter weather, resulting in painful and sometimes disabling injuries.
• Get out of the cold immediately if the signs of hypothermia and frostbite appear.

Signs of frostbite include lack of feeling in the affected area or skin that appears waxy, is cold to the touch, or is discolored (flushed, white or gray, yellow or blue)

What to do for frostbite:
• Move the person to a warm place
• Handle the area gently; never rub the affected area
• Warm gently by soaking the affected area in warm water (100–105 degrees F) until it appears red and feels warm
• Loosely bandage the area with dry, sterile dressings
• If the person’s fingers or toes are frostbitten, place dry, sterile gauze between them to keep them separated
• Avoid breaking any blisters
• Do not allow the affected area to refreeze
• Seek professional medical care as soon as possible

Signs of hypothermia include shivering, numbness or weakness, a glassy stare, apathy or impaired judgment or loss of consciousness.

What to do for hypothermia:
• CALL 9-1-1 or the local emergency number
• Gently move the person to a warm place
• Monitor breathing and circulation
• Give rescue breathing and CPR if needed
• Remove any wet clothing and dry the person
• Warm the person slowly by wrapping in blankets or by putting dry clothing on the person.
• Hot water bottles and chemical hot packs may be used when first wrapped in a towel or blanket before applying. Do not warm the person too quickly, such as by immersing him or her in warm water.
• Warm the core first (trunk, abdomen), not the extremities (hands, feet).

IF THE POWER IS OUT
• Use flashlights in the dark — not candles.
• If you must go out during a winter storm, use public transportation if possible. Eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic lights will be out and roads will be congested.
• Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment.
• Turn off or disconnect any appliances and electronics that you were using when the power went out. When power comes back on, surges or spikes can damage equipment.
• Leave one light on, so you’ll know when power is restored.
• During a prolonged outage, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to protect your food.

o First, use perishable food from the refrigerator. Perishables are safe to eat when they have a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Then, use food from the freezer.
o If the power outage will continue beyond a day, prepare a cooler with ice for your freezer items. Keep food in a dry, cool spot and cover it at all times.

GENERATOR SAFETY
If you are using a generator, keep it dry and don’t use it in wet conditions.
• Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area. Keep these devices outside away from doors, windows and vents, which could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors.
• Operate the generator on a dry surface under an open canopy-like structure, such as under a tarp held up by poles.
• Don’t touch a generator with wet hands.
• Turn the generator off and let it cool down before refueling. Gasoline spilled on hot engine parts could ignite.
• Plug appliances directly into the generator. Never try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet.

PREVENT FROZEN PIPES
• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
• Let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

How to Thaw Frozen Pipes
• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

HOME HEATING SAFETY
• Keep all potential sources of fuel like paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves, or fireplaces.
• Don’t leave portable heaters and fireplaces unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
• Place space heaters on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
• Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.