January 27, 2004

Winter in Michigan is a welcomed season for some, but for others, the change in weather poses serious risks and hazards. To combat these potential dangers, there are several guidelines citizens can follow to stay safe.

In your home, if you use a wood stove, fireplace or space heater, be extremely careful. Always keep a multipurpose, dry chemical fire extinguisher near the area you are heating. Do not burn paper in your fireplace and do not use leak flue gas indoors. If you are using a kerosene heater, be sure it is located in a well-ventilated space and only use the designated fuel.

While inside, monitor the indoor temperature carefully. Because they loose body heat much faster than adults, infants should never sleep in a cool or cold room. It is also necessary for older adults to take extra home heating precautions, as they tend to have slower metabolisms and therefore make and retain less heat than other adults.

If you are caring for an infant or senior citizen, be sure to frequently check that their homes are adequately heated. If heating is not at a safe level, it is advised to make alternative housing arrangements.

When the weather is extremely cold, and especially if there are high winds, try to stay indoors. Making trips outside as brief as possible can help to reduce the potential dangers associated with cold weather.

The following tips can help to protect health and safety while outside.

· Dress warmly and stay dry: Be sure to dress in layers in wind resistant clothing. Wool, silk or polypropylene inner layers will hold more body heat than cotton. If your clothing is wet, go inside as soon as possible. When inside, remove the clothing as soon as possible.

· Avoid exertion: Cold weather can put extra strain on the heart. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice about shoveling snow or other hard work in the cold. The body is already working hard to stay warm, so extra work can cause an overload.

· Cover exposed skin: Always wear a warm hat that covers ears, gloves or mittens that cover the full wrist, and a scarf or ski mask to protect face and neck.

It is important to be aware of any changes in exposed skin during cold weather periods. Frostbite and hypothermia are very serious conditions that can be lessoned by early recognition and treatment.

Frostbitten skin is hard, pale, cold and has no feeling. When the frostbitten skin is in warm air, it will become red and painful. Very severe frostbite can cause blisters, gangrene (blackened dead tissue), and deep tissue damage in tendons, muscles, nerves and bones.

Hypothermia is life-threatening condition that is caused by short exposure to extreme cold or long exposure to mild cold. Symptoms of hypothermia include trembling, stiffness of muscles, puffiness in the face, poor coordination, confusion, and low consciousness and reactivity.

If you suspect frostbite, hypothermia or other complications surrounding extreme weather, seek emergency medical care immediately.