Safety Tip of the Week – Cold Weather Safety – Hypothermia

Extremely cold air comes every winter into at least part of the country and affects millions of people.

This Arctic air can be dangerous. Combined with brisk winds, dangerous cold wind chill values can result. People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to hypothermia in a matter of minutes. Hypothermia occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it.

Beware of Hypothermia

When your body temperature sinks below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, you have hypothermia, a serious health hazard that occurs when body temperature is lowered too much.

• Get medical attention immediately. It is better to be overly cautious than to die of a disorder that does not have to be deadly;
• Move the victim inside to a heated location and begin warming the center of the body first
• Lie close to the person and cover both of you with a thick blanket or blankets. The hotter you get, the more warmth you can give the other person. Do not rub the person or handle them roughly; and
• If the person is unconscious, administer CPR.

Tips to Help Prevent Hypothermia

• Dress in layers;
• Wrap up well when going outside in the cold;
• Avoid breezes and drafts indoors;
• Eat hot, nutritious foods, drink warm drinks several times during the day, and wear warm clothes to ward off winter chill;
• Wear a warm hat in the winter; and
• Ask your doctor if any medicine you are taking increases your risk of hypothermia.

DON’T LOSE YOUR BODY HEAT…STAY WRAPPED UP AGAINST THE COLD!