Baby It’s Cold Outside-12/11/2024

Cold weather is forecasted by the National Weather Service. Here are some reminders for coping with the
extreme cold.
• 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 (link is external), flashlight and batteries, first aid kit, important medications, a
weather radio, and a change of clothes.
• Dress in layers. If you must 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.
• Provide shelter for outdoor animals. Extra feed to offset additional calories burned maintaining
body heat, and unfrozen water source.