Cold Weather Precautions

As we are all aware disasters do not always happen during the best of weather. The Missouri Department of Health and the State Emergency Management Agency warn Missourians to take extra precautions during severe cold weather to avoid suffering cold-related illnesses and hypothermia.

Hypothermia occurs when body temperature falls below normal. Early and mild symptoms include: shivering, slurred speech, mental slowness or lethargy, muscular stiffness and clumsiness. Symptoms of severe hypothermia include mental confusion, disorientation, stupor or coma, absence of shivering, stiff or rigid muscles, shallow and very slow breathing, weak pulse and a fall in blood pressure. If symptoms are detected, especially in the elderly, seek immediate medical help.

To prevent Hypothermia take the following precautions:

• Wear several layers of warm, loose-fitting clothes.
• Sleep with plenty of blankets
• Eat hot, nutritious meals
• Maintain daily contact with someone outside your home
• Avoid the use of alcoholic beverages
• Place emergency phone numbers in a handy place

**Many prescription drugs, may make you more sensitive to the cold, so check with your physician or pharmacist to find out if your medication falls in this category.

Frostbite, especially when the wind chill factor is very low, can be a problem. Symptoms of frostbite include: changes in skin appearance such as swelling, reddish, bluish or whitish coloring, numbness, stiffness or rigidity. If untreated, frostbite can lead to loss of frozen fingers, toes or other affected skin areas. To prevent frostbite, protect skin from direct exposure to cold air and from exposure to intensely cold wind.