All of these Snow Days and Delay’s!

Hello Everyone!

We just want to bring up the fact that recently, we have been having many delays, and have already had at least 1 snow day! We guess that this year, winter is coming early. We all need to stay safe for the winter though, so here are some great tips!

When the lights go out

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed; an unopened fridge keeps food cold for at least a few hours. For a prolonged outage, prepare a cooler filled with ice for your perishable foods.

• If the power goes off while you are using appliances, turn them off immediately to reduce the risk of overloading circuitry when the power comes back on.

• Keep batteries, flashlights and radio in a central and accessible location known to everyone.

• Only use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles.

• Do not run a generator inside a home or garage.

• If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home’s electrical system.

• Have emergency cash on hand. Remember that ATMs may not work during a power outage.

• Put on layers of warm clothing.

• Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors.

• Never use your oven as a source of heat. If the power is out for a prolonged period, go to another location that has heat to keep warm.

• Keep your car fuel tank at least half full.

• Reduce speed and adjust for weather conditions as needed.

• In a power outage, all stoplights become four-way stops.

• Keep a flashlight, an extra pair of shoes, water, blanket and emergency food rations in the car.

• Listen to local radio and television for updated information.

• Essential supplies: flashlight, batteries, portable radio, at least one gallon of water per person, small supply of food. Do not use candles because of the extreme risk of fire.

Be prepared

• Maintain your home at a temperature of at least 55 degrees.

• Have adequate insulation where pipes run along outside walls, floors and ceilings.

• Insulate pipes in crawl spaces and attics.

• Seal leaks that allow cold air inside.

• Disconnect garden hoses; use indoor valve to shut off and drain pipes that lead outside.

• Let warm water drip overnight from faucets.

• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to reach pipes.

• Set thermostat no lower than 55 degrees.

• Keep heavy snow off roof.

• Keep gutters and down spouts free of snow, ice buildup and icicles.

SOURCES: American Red Cross; State Farm Insurance Cos.

Stay healthy

• Dress appropriately and in layers.

• Wear a hat, preferably one that covers the ears.

• Wear mittens; they are warmer than gloves.

• Wear waterproof, insulated boots.

• Get out of wet clothes immediately; warm with a blanket or warm fluids.

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

• Allow extra time when traveling and keep an eye on the weather.

• Keep blankets, food, flares, chains, gloves and first-aid supplies in car.

• Signs of hypothermia: confusion, dizziness, exhaustion, severe shivering.

• Signs of frostbite: gray, white or yellow skin; numbness; way-feeling skin.

Shovel safely

• Consult a doctor. If you have a medical condition or don’t exercise on a regular basis or are middle aged or older, schedule a meeting with your doctor before the first anticipated snowfall.

• Give yourself a break. Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling so you don’t overstress your heart. Pay attention to how your body feels during those breaks.

• Don’t eat a heavy meal before shoveling. Eating a large meal can put an extra load on your heart.

•Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before shoveling. Alcohol may increase a person’s sensation of warmth and may cause them to underestimate the extra strain their body is under in the cold.

• Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia. Heart failure causes most deaths in hypothermia. To prevent hypothermia, dress in layers of warm clothing, which traps air between layers forming a protective insulation. Wear a hat because much of your body’s heat can be lost through your head.

• Use a small shovel. The act of lifting heavy snow can raise blood pressure acutely during the lift. It is safer to lift smaller amounts more times, than to lug a few huge shovelfuls of snow.

• Listen to your body. If you feel the warming signs for heart attack, stop what you’re doing immediately and call 9-1-1.

Warning signs of a heart attack include:

• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

• Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck and arms.

• Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.

SOURCES: American Red Cross; American Heart Association, article from Pantagraph.com