During a Winter Storm

Indoor Safety

• If possible, stay indoors and dress warmly.

• Conserve fuel. Lower the thermostat to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

• Close off unused rooms.

• Seal drafts from doors and windows.

Outdoor Safety

Babies and the elderly are more at risk from the cold and should be kept warm.

• Dress warmly. Wear loose-fitting, layered clothes. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water-repellent.

• Wear mittens rather than gloves—mittens are warmer.

• If you shovel snow, do stretching exercises to warm up. Take breaks often.

• Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extremely cold air.

• Avoid working too hard (strains your heart).

• Drink water and other fluids to avoid dehydration.

• Watch for signs of frostbite: Feeling of “pins and needles” followed by numbness (no feeling). Skin may freeze hard and look white. When thawed out, skin is red and painful. Very bad frostbite may cause blisters or gangrene (black, dead tissue).

• Watch for signs of hypothermia (uncontrolled shivering, slow speech, memory loss, stumbling, sleepiness, extreme tiredness).

• If you think you have frostbite or hypothermia, don’t eat or drink anything containing caffeine or alcohol—they can worsen your symptoms.

• Drink warm liquids that do not contain caffeine or alcohol. (alcoholic drinks cause your body to lose heat more quickly).

• Do not eat snow (lowers your body temperature).

In Your Car

Travel with caution:

• Listen for travel warnings.

• Avoid icy roads if possible.

• Use tire chains.

• Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to arrive. Ask them to notify help if you are late.

• Check and restock emergency supplies in your car before you leave.

• Never pour water on your windshield to remove ice or snow; the windshield may shatter.

If you are trapped in your car in a winter storm:

• Stay in the car.

• Do not leave the car to look for help unless help is visible within 100 yards.

• Display a “call for help” sign.

• Raise the car hood or hang a brightly colored cloth on the antenna to signal for help.

• To keep warm, turn on the car’s engine for about 10 minutes each hour.

• Run the heater only when the car is running. (Avoid running the car battery down.)

• Turn on car lights only when the car is running. (Avoid running the car battery down.)

• Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow. (Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.)

• Open a window slightly for fresh air.

• Do light exercise to stay warm.

• If you’re alone, stay awake as much as possible.

• If more than one person is in the car, take turns sleeping.

• For warmth, huddle close together.

• Wrap your body and head with extra clothes, blankets, newspapers, maps, or removable car mats.

• Do not eat snow (lowers your body temperature). If no other water is available, snow can be melted for water using a can and a lit match. (Please note: Water must come to a rolling boil for one minute to kill most germs, but boiling water won’t get rid of chemicals sometimes found in snow.)