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DECEMBER 2007 SAFETY TIP
The time of year is here when severe winter weather can greatly affect personnel and St. Louis Public School families. Some information regarding winter weather to keep in mind is below:
During a Winter Storm
Indoor Safety
• If possible, stay indoors and dress warmly.
• Conserve fuel. Lower the thermostat to 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
• Close off unused rooms.
• Seal drafts from doors and windows.
Outdoor Safety
Babies and the elderly are more at risk from the cold and should be kept warm.
• Dress warmly. Wear loose-fitting, layered clothes. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water-repellent.
• Wear mittens rather than gloves—mittens are warmer.
• If you shovel snow, do stretching exercises to warm up. Take breaks often.
• Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extremely cold air.
• Avoid working too hard (strains your heart).
• Drink water and other fluids to avoid dehydration.
• Watch for signs of frostbite: Feeling of “pins and needles” followed by numbness (no feeling). Skin may freeze hard and look white. When thawed out, skin is red and painful. Very bad frostbite may cause blisters or gangrene (black, dead tissue).
• Watch for signs of hypothermia (uncontrolled shivering, slow speech, memory loss, stumbling, sleepiness, extreme tiredness).
• If you think you have frostbite or hypothermia, do not eat or drink anything containing caffeine or alcohol—they can worsen your symptoms.
• Drink warm liquids that do not contain caffeine or alcohol. (alcoholic drinks cause your body to lose heat more quickly).
• Do not eat snow (lowers your body temperature).
For extra information on winter weather preparedness and additional emergency measures, visit the CDC website (link below):
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/
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