Leonardtown, MD – The coldest air of the season is expected to arrive this weekend with bitterly cold wind chills of 10 to 20 below zero late Saturday into Sunday. The Department of Emergency Services & Technology would like to remind citizens to prepare for the unseasonably cold weather.
During Extreme Cold
- Check on your elderly friends, family members and neighbors
- Bring your pets and plants indoors
- Dress in multiple layers if you go outdoors
- Watch for signs of frostbite. These include loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately
- Watch for signs of hypothermia. These include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion. If symptoms of hypothermia are detected, get the victim to a warm location, remove wet clothing, warm the center of the body first and give warm, non-alcoholic beverages if the victim is conscious. Get medical help as soon as possible
- If the pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate).
- Maintain ventilation when using kerosene heaters to avoid build-up of toxic fumes. Refuel kerosene heaters outside and keep them at least three feet from flammable objects.
- Check your Smoke and Carbon Dioxide Detectors