Cold Winter Health Tips

Cold Weather Tips and Risks

How to Protect Yourself 

• Wear clothes that are warm and dry

• Drink warm, sweetened fluids i.e., hot chocolate, decaf tea or hot water with sugar or honey

• Dress properly: Layers of loose-fitting, insulating clothes, Insulated jacket, gloves, and a hat (waterproof, if necessary) and Insulated and waterproof boots

•If clothing gets wet, change clothes

Check out the website below for more information

https://www.weather.gov/media/aly/PSAs/ExtremeCold.pdf

Cold Temperature Risk & Factors

Hypothermia

• Normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to 95°F or less. 

• Mild Symptoms: alert but shivering.

• Moderate to Severe Symptoms: shivering stops; confusion; slurred speech; heart rate/breathing slow; loss of consciousness; death.

Frostbite

• Body tissues freeze, e.g., hands and feet. Can occur at temperatures above freezing, due to wind chill. 

• Symptoms: numbness, reddened skin develops gray/white patches, feels firm/hard, and may blister. 

Risk Factors

• Exposure to cold temperatures, dressing improperly, wet clothing/skin

Source: www.osha.gov

How to Manage Hypothermia

For Hypothermia: seek medical attention or call 911

To prevent further heat loss:

-Move yourself to a warm place. 

-Change into dry clothes.

-Cover the body (including the head and neck) with blankets, and with something to block the cold (e.g., tarp, garbage bag) and do not cover the face.

If medical help is more than 30 minutes away:

-Drink warm, sweetened drinks if alert & sip slowly- i.e., hot chocolate, decaf tea or hot water with sugar or honey

-Apply heat packs to the armpits, sides of chest, neck, and groin.

Source: www.osha.gov

How to Manage Frostbite

For Frostbite:

• Follow instructions for Hypothermia” and get medical attention or call 911

Do:

Loosely cover and protect the area from contact.

Avoid walking on feet if frostbite occurs on feet.

Do Not: 

• Do not rub the frostbitten area. 

• Do not apply snow/water and Do Not break blisters.

• Do not try to rewarm the area unless directed by medical personnel.

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