Be prepared for severe weather

Be prepared for severe weather

 

We have a beautiful sunny day in Montgomery County, Maryland. The winter weather is predicted to change tonight and there is a winter storm warning for tomorrow. Area residents expect to see several inches of snow at will experience arctic cold temperatures. Be prepared and make sure your family is safe. It is a good time for a family meeting to review emergency plans.

 

Montgomery County, Maryland issued the following bulletin:

 

County Emergency Services:
Anyone in Montgomery County who is in an emergency situation and needs assistance to stay warm, can call the County’s Crisis Center Hotline at 240-777-4000 or visit the center at 1301 Piccard Drive in Rockville. The hotline and Crisis Center are staffed 24/7.

Hypothemia:
Extreme cold is a dangerous situation that can bring on health emergencies in susceptible people, such as the very young, seniors, those without shelter or who are stranded, or who live in a home that is poorly insulated and/or without heat. Hypothermia can result form prolonged exposure to the cold. When exposed to cold temperatures, the body beings to lose heat faster than it can be produced. When the body’s store of energy is used up, the result is hypothermia. Because hypothermia can affect the brain, a person may not be aware that it is happening, and not take appropriate steps to prevent damage.

Warning Signs:
• Shivering, exhaustion
• Confusion, fumbling hands
• Memory loss, slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• For infants – bright red, cold skin, very low energy

What to do:
• If you notice any of these signs, take the person’s temperature. If it is below 95 degrees, the situation is an emergency – get medical attention immediately
• If the person is unconscious and does not seem to have a pulse or to be breathing, call 9-1-1
Prior to medical care:
• Get victim into a warm room or shelter
• Remove any wet clothing
• Warm the center of the body first – chest, neck, head, and groin – using electric blanket if available, or use skin-to-skin- contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothing, towels, or sheets
• Warm, non-alcoholic, beverages can help increase body temperatures if the victim is conscious

Frostbite:
Frostbite is an injury to the body that is caused by freezing. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas, typically the nose, ears, cheeks, chink fingers, or toes. Signs of frostbite include redness or pain in any skin area, a white or grayish-yellow skin area, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy and numbness.

What to do:
• Get into a warm area as soon as possible
• Immerse the affected area in warm, but not hot, water
• Warm the affected area using body heat
• Do not use a heating pad, heat lamp, or the heat of a stove, fireplace, or radiator for warming
• Do not walk on frostbitten feet or toes if at all possible
• Do not rub the frostbitten area with snow of massage it in any fashion

Outdoor Safety:
Try to stay indoors, and make trips outside as brief as possible. Limit outdoor recreational activity. Outdoor cold weather exertion puts extra strain on the heart.
• Wear hat, scarf, or mask to cover face and mouth
• Sleeves should be snug at the wrist
• Mittens are warmer than gloves
• Several layers of loose-fitting clothing should be worn under a heavy coat

Indoor Safety:
If you plan to use a wood stove, fireplace or space heater, be extremely careful.
• Only use combustion heaters if they are properly vented to the outside and do not leak flue gas into the indoor air space
• Do not place a space heater within three feet of anything that may catch fire, such as drapes, furniture or bedding

Vehicle Safety:
During cold winter weather, keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. Make sure there is adequate antifreeze. Never leave a person of any age alone in a vehicle. Have extra blankets in case of a breakdown.  

 

Kentlands in the Snow IMG_0760

Photograph by Roy Kelley

Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs

Roy Kelley, a real estate broker since 1960, has retired from his position as Associate Broker with RE/MAX Realty Group in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The needs of past clients and referrals will be met by long time associates.