Cold Weather Safety Tips

Ottawa is one of the coldest capitals in the world. Winter temperatures combined with wind can cause many dangers including severe injuries and even death. Frostbite injuries can lead to amputations. Hypothermia, the most serious of cold weather complications can lead to brain damage and death. Elderly, children, outdoor workers, the homeless and people who play sports outdoors are at the most risk. City of Ottawa Paramedics would like to offer a few tips to help keep your children warm during the winter and prevent cold weather injuries or illnesses.

Keeping Warm

• Plan ahead and check the weather conditions before your child leaves the house. The weather network, radio and newspaper are all great sources.
• During the winter months, dress your child warmly. It is important to cover as much of the body as possible because exposed body part are very susceptible to heat loss and frostbite. Cover your child's chin, cheeks and face with a scarf or neck warmer; wear a warm hat that completely covers their ears (40% of heat loss is from the head) and gloves or mitts, or both!
• Ensure your child is dressed in layers of warm clothing with an outer jacket that is wind breaking. This helps your child's body stay dry and warm.
• Provide your child with warm beverages to warm up.
• Remove children's wet clothing and boots as soon as possible

Wind Chill

Wind chill is a measurement of how the temperature will feel colder because of the wind. If the wind chill is very high then your child's exposed skin could freeze in minutes. Make sure you check the wind chill before your child heads outside to ensure he/she is dressed warmly enough.

Hypothermia

This is a word used to describe when the body's internal temperature becomes too cool. It is a result of being exposed to temperatures that are too cold for too long a period of time. It is a condition that can be hazardous to your health and even life threatening. Signs of hypothermia include:

• A person mumbling when they talk
• A person stumbling when they walk
• A person who fumbles objects

In all instances try to warm the person up, by going to a warm, dry place, removing wet clothing, wrap them in blankets (warmed in the dryer if possible) and have them consume warm non-alcoholic beverages and seek medical attention.

Frostbite

Frostbite is a condition where there is a freezing of skin because of too much exposure to cold weather. It usually occurs in the extremities (fingers, toes, cheeks, nose and ears). Look for skin to initially become pink or reddish with pain and then go on to become patchy red, white or waxy with numbness or tingling.

It is very important to try and warm up the affected areas by using a person's body heat or a warm compress. Avoid direct heat, which can burn the skin. Do not rub the area as it can cause more damage. Seek medical attention.

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