Guidelines
Tune into the radio, television or NOAA Weather Radio to listen to weather news and emergency information.
Consume food regularly and drink plenty of fluids, avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Save fuel, if necessary, keeping your residence cooler than usual. Shut down the heat in some rooms intermittently.
If the pipelines freeze, remove any insulation or newspaper layers and wrap the pipes with fabric. Open all the faucets completely and pour hot water at the pipelines, beginning by the part most exposed to the cold (or the section where the cold can pass easily).
Enhance ventilation when using kerosene heaters to avoid accumulation of toxic gases. Refill the kerosene heaters outside and keep them at least three feet away from flammable objects.
If you are outdoors
• Avoid shoveling snow too fast. Excess effort may cause a stroke, a main cause of death during the winter. If you need to shovel snow, stretch before going outside.
• Cover your mouth, Protect your lungs from extremely cold air covering your mouth when that air is outdoors. Try not to speak unless absolutely necessary.
• Change out of wet clothes frequently to avoid body heat loss. Wet clothes lose heat insulation quickly.
• Beware of freezing symptoms. These include loss of sensation and pale appearance of the limbs, such as the fingers or toes, earlobes or the tip of the nose. If these symptoms are detected, seek medical attention immediately.
• Beware of hypothermia symptoms. These include uncontrollable chills, memory loss, confusion, incoherency, speech disorders, loss of balance and apparent fatigue.
If hypothermia symptoms are detected:
• Move the victim to a warm place
• Remove wet clothes
• Provide dry clothes and wrap the body in a blanket
• Warm the body core first
• Provide hot and non alcoholic or caffeine beverages, if the victim is conscious
• Procure medical attention as soon as possible.
If you are driving
Drive only if absolutely necessary. If you must drive, consider the following:
Travel during the day, do not travel alone and keep others informed of your schedule.
Stay in main roads and avoid direct access through additional roads.
If you are trapped in your car during an avalanche:
Get off the road. Activate intermittent lights and hang an SOS flag on the radio antenna or window.
Stay inside your vehicle where the rescue team is more likely to find you. Do not go out on foot unless you see a building you can take shelter in nearby. Be careful, distances are often distorted during blizzards. A building may appear nearby, but is too far away to walk in deep snow.
Start and operate the engine and heating for 10 minutes every hour to keep warm. When the engine is running, crack a window open for ventilation and periodically clear the snow from the exhaust. This will protect you from possible carbon monoxide intoxication.
Exercise to conserve body heat and avoid straining yourself. In cold weather, use road maps, the seat covers and carpets as insulation. Group with other passengers and use a blanket as shield.
Take turns sleeping. One person must be awake at all moments to look out for rescue squads.
Drink liquids to avoid dehydration.
Be careful of not wasting the battery. Balance the electrical needs – the use of lights, heating and radios – with the supply.
At night, turn on the internal light so rescue squads can see you.
If you are stranded in a remote area, write large capital letters in an open are reading HELP or SOS and create a line with rocks or tree branches to attract the attention of the rescue staff examining the area from a plane.
If necessary, leave the car and continue on foot once the storm has passed.
