While everyone is potentially at risk during a winter storm, its actual threat to you depends on not only your location, but also your preparedness.
Surviving a Winter Storm While at Home
Listen to local radio and television stations for information on winter storm watches, warnings, and advisories. Close off unneeded rooms. Stuff towels in the cracks under doors to conserve heat. Cover your windows at night. Eat regularly to provide the body with energy so that it may maintain heat.
Drink plenty of fluids to ward off dehydration. Wear several layers of loose-fitting clothing.
Surviving a Winter Storm While in a Vehicle
- Remain in your vehicle until help arrives. Disorientation may occur if you try to seek help in the snow and cold.
- Run the motor for ten minutes every hour to conserve heat.
- Open the car window slightly to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Check to see if your tail pipe is blocked before you start running the motor.
- Make yourself visible to rescuers by tying a colored cloth to the antenna or door, turning on the dome light at night when the engine is running, or by raising the car hood after the snow has stopped falling.
Surviving a Winter Storm While Caught Outside
- If you have found shelter, try to remain as dry as possible and cover any exposed area of the body.
- If you have no shelter, prepare a lean-to or snow cave to protect yourself from the wind.
- Build a fire for heat and to attract rescuers. Placing rocks around the fire will absorb and reflect the
heat.
- Because it will lower your body temperature, do not eat any of the snow. Instead, melt it first.
Hypothermia
Watch for the following warning signs:
- slurred speech
- memory loss
- exhaustion
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- uncontrollable shivering
- drowsiness
- disorientation and
incoherence
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Treating Hypothermia
*If you have a thermometer available,
take the person's temperature.
If it is below 95 degrees F (35 degrees Celsius),
seek medical help immediately.*
If medical help is not available, begin warming the
person's body core slowly. Make sure the person is wearing dry
clothing, and wrap them in a warm blanket that covers the head and
neck. It is advised to give the person only warm, and not hot,
liquids. Do not warm the arms and legs first. Doing so can drive the
cold blood toward the heart and lead to heart failure.
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