Take Shelter from the Extreme Cold

Take Shelter from the Extreme Cold

The National Weather Service is predicting dangerously cold temperatures over the next few days. Wind chills from 20 to 55 below zero are expected tonight through Thursday morning.

To protect yourself and your family during extreme cold, follow these safety tips:

• Stay inside. It’s the best place to be when temperatures are dangerously cold.
• Stock a home emergency kit. Your home kit should include items such as food and water, cell phone and charger, flashlight and batteries, first aid kit, important medications, a weather radio, and a change of clothes.
• Dress in layers. If you have to venture out, dress in several loose-fitting layers. Wear a hat, mittens, and snow boots. Use a scarf to cover your nose, mouth, and face.
• Know the signs and symptoms of hypothermia. Warning signs include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, and slurred speech. Call 911 if someone is exposed to cold temperatures and you see these symptoms.
• Check on your friends, family, and neighbors. The elderly, babies in cold bedrooms, people who are frequently outside (e.g., the homeless, hunters), and people who drink alcohol or use drugs are more likely to be harmed from the cold.
• Make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors. All homes and duplexes in Wisconsin are required to have properly working detectors on every level, including the basement, but not the attic or storage areas. Detectors can be purchased at most hardware stores.
• Never run a gasoline or propane heater or a grill (gas or charcoal) inside your home or garage. Any heating system that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide. Use a battery-powered detector where you have fuel-burning devices but no electric outlets, such as in tents, cabins, and RVs.
• Run generators at a safe distance (at least 20 feet) from the home. Never run a generator in the home or garage, or right next to windows or doors, to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Winterize your car. Just as you have a home emergency kit, you need one for your car too. Pack items such as blankets, snacks and water, a shovel, jumper cables, and sand. Keep your gas tank at least half-full.
• Limit outdoor time for pets. Extreme cold is dangerous for animals too.

Green Lake County Residents in need of temporary relief from the extreme cold temperatures, can go to public spaces to stay warm. Public spaces include local libraries, neighborhood centers, senior centers, village halls and sometimes fire stations/halls.

 If you are unsure of where to go, are in need of longer-term shelter from the cold, or need information on energy assistance, please contact Green Lake County Health and Human Services at 920-294-4070.