Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Expecting highs in the teens and lows near zero between Thursday and Sunday, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency has issued an advisory for coping with the cold.

First, monitor the media to keep up with weather conditions. In case the power goes out, you will need a battery- or crank-operated portable radio, as well as flashlights, extra batteries, a first aid kit, bottled water and nonperishable food.

Check your fuel, keeping at least a half tank in your car and making sure you have enough heating fuel and an alternate form of heat that does not rely on electricity.

Make sure your car is winterized. Carry a Winter Survival Kit that includes blankets, extra clothing, flashlight with spare batteries, a candle, waterproof matches and a can for melting snow to drink. Also carry non-perishable foods, windshield scraper, shovel, sand, tow rope and jumper cables.

When extreme cold hits, the state advises everyone to minimize outdoor activities, especially the very young and very old, and to keep pets inside or sheltered in some way.

People should dress in several layers of lightweight clothing, rather than a single layer of heavy clothing. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.

Frostbite is a danger for fingers, toes, ear lobes and the tip of the nose. Wear a hat, boots and mittens instead of gloves. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a pale appearance in skin. If symptoms are detected, seek medical help immediately. Slowly rewarm the affected areas as you await medical assistance.

Hypothermia can occur in extreme cases. The warning signs are uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If the person's temperature drops below 95 degrees, seek immediate medical care. If medical assistance is not available, slowly warm up the person, body core first, wrapping them in a blanket or using your own body heat.

Do not warm the extremities first, because this drives the cold blood toward the heart and can lead to heart failure. Do not give the person alcohol, coffee, tea or any hot food or beverage. Instead, give warm liquids.

If the power fails and you must use a fireplace, wood stove or space heater, take the necessary safety precautions. Keep a fire extinguisher handy and make sure everyone knows how to use it. Test smoke alarms.

If you lose your heat, seal off unused rooms by stuffing towels in the cracks under the doors. Cover windows with extra blankets or sheets. Keep eating to fuel the body's own heating system. If your refrigerator loses electricity for an extended period, foods can be kept cold in a snowbank outside.

To keep pipes from freezing, wrap them in insulation or layers of newspapers, covering the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture. Allow a trickle of hot and cold water to run from a faucet that is farthest from your water meter or one that has frozen in the past. This will keep the water moving so that it cannot freeze. Learn how to shut off your water if a pipe bursts.

The same should be done in the homes of elderly or disabled relatives and neighbors. Check on them.

If you keep a dog outdoors, make sure it has shelter in a dry, draft-free doghouse that is large enough to allow the animal to both sit and lie down comfortably, but small enough to retain body heat. The floor should be elevated a few inches from the ground and covered with cedar shavings or straw. The entrance should be turned to face away from prevailing winds and covered with a flap of heavy waterproof fabric or heavy plastic.

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