Stay safe in cold weather

(Harrisburg) — Pennsylvanians are urged to take extra precautions as near-zero temperatures affect the commonwealth over the next several days.

Tomorrow night’s low is predicted to be just 13 degrees, with wind chills as far as four below.  

“Dangerously cold temperatures like these can lead to life-threatening health problems like hypothermia and frostbite. Lower-than-normal temperatures and higher wind speeds, such as those we’re expecting, can cause heat to leave your body more quickly than normal and result in serious health issues,” said State Health Secretary Dr. Karen Murphy. 

According to the Health Department, the most common cold-related problems are hypothermia and frostbite. The agency is reminding peole to try to stay indoors as much as possible.

If you do go outside, keep these tips in mind: 

• Make outdoor trips brief and dress warmly in layers
• Cover your ears, head, mouth, and face
• Never ignore shivering – it’s your body’s way of saying you’re losing heat and it’s time to return indoors
• Know the symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite. Hypothermia causes shivering, exhaustion, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech or drowsiness in adults and bright red, cold skin and very low energy in babies. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas, and symptoms include a white or grayish-yellow area of skin, numbness or skin that feels unusually firm or waxy. Seek medical attention if it is suspected that you or your loved ones have hypothermia or frostbite.

Check in on people young and old 

Infants and elderly people are most at risk of cold-related health issues, according to the Department of Health. They should be checked on regularly to be sure they are warm enough.  Infants need warm clothing; they are not able to shiver so they lose more heat than adults do. For this reason, the Department recommends that babies under one year of age never sleep in a cold room. 

Elderly people make less heat than younger people because they have slower metabolisms and less physical activity. The Department urges them to keep a careful watch on the temperature in their rooms.  

Insulate and conserve heat

Severe cold temperatures put extra demands on utility systems, but energy conservation helps. Try these energy-saving tips from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (from 2014):

• Use a programmable thermostat and set it to lower the temperature at night or whenever the house is unoccupied.
• Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible. This includes overhead doors on attached garages.
• Seal off unused rooms. Close the floor or wall registers and return air vents, and keep the doors closed in those areas.
• Open south-facing window curtains, drapes and blinds during the day. Close coverings at night to keep the heat in.
• Weatherstrip and caulk windows.