Wind Chill Advisory: Tips For Low Temps In The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — That was amazing, watching the temperatures drop 20 degrees in a couple of hours on Wednesday. The Red Cross of Metro New York and Orange & Rockland Utilities have some good tips for these times.

Remember, when temperatures drop and winter storms roll in, check on your elderly neighbors and help those who may need special assistance, including people with disabilities and children.

The Red Cross recommends if you’re headed outside in this weather:

• Know the signs of hypothermia – confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering. If someone has these symptoms, they should get immediate medical attention.
• Watch for symptoms of frostbite including numbness, flushed gray, white, blue or yellow skin discoloration, numbness or waxy feeling skin.
• Dressing in several layers of lightweight clothing keeps someone warmer than a single heavy coat.
• Mittens provide more warmth to the hands than gloves. Wear a hat, preferably one that covers the ears.
• Wear waterproof, insulated boots to keep feet warm and dry and to maintain one’s footing in ice and snow.

Tips to stay safe in the car:

• Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank full. A full tank will keep the fuel line from freezing.
• Clean the lights and windows to help you see.
• Keep a disaster supplies kit in the car (including a red cloth for tying to the antenna in emergencies)
• Find out what the weather is where you are traveling. Before you leave, let someone know where you are going, the route you plan to take, and when you expect to get there. If your car gets stuck, help can be sent along your predetermined route.

If you’re stuck in the car:

• Stay with the car. Do not try to walk to safety. (Unless, of course, you can see a heated building that you can safely get to)
• Tie a brightly colored cloth (preferably red) to the antenna for rescuers to see.
• Start the car and use the heater for about 10 minutes every hour.
• Keep the exhaust pipe clear so fumes won’t back up in the car.
• Leave the overhead light on when the engine is running to help rescuers see the vehicle.
• Keep one window away from the blowing wind slightly open to let in air.

For your home, O&R offers these cold-weather coping tips:

• If you open curtains and/or shades of east, south and west-facing windows on sunny winter days, it lets the sun help you heat your home. Close them at sundown. Keep draperies closed all day on north-facing windows.
• Close all hot air vents or radiators in unused rooms. Then, close the doors to those rooms securely, using draft guards at the door bottoms if necessary. CAUTION: If you have a radiator-hot water system, be sure that the unused room does not get so cold as the temperature falls below freezing.
• Check all places where heat enters the room. Make sure the draperies and furniture do not block the flow of heat.
• Use a room or furnace humidifier or keep shallow pans of water on radiator tops or near hot air vents to add humidity to your home.
• Check the filters on your forced-air furnace every month during the heating season. Replace as necessary.
• Never use a gas oven or range, or charcoal grill to heat a room. This causes a carbon monoxide danger which could prove fatal.
• Try turning your thermostat down to a reasonable temperature that meets your comfort and health needs. Keep it at the same level day and night.
• Make sure your thermostat is not affected by drafts that could skew the readings. Use a smart thermostat to automatically change the heating pattern to fit your schedule.
• Take a moment to turn off any devices or appliances you are not using.

And the Red Cross adds:

• A trickle of hot and cold water might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Let warm water drip overnight, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.
• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to un-insulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.
• Disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house.
• Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes, and use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out. With severe cold, even a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze.

SEE ALSO: Closings, Delays in Hudson Valley Schools Thursday

PHOTO/ Lanning Taliaferro

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