(PETERBOROUGH) The temperature as of 8 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 22) in the Peterborough region was a frosty -15 degrees Celsius -- that's -25 degrees Celsius with winds of 12 km/h, making for an extreme cold event.
Extreme cold events occur when winter temperatures drop significantly below average for that time of the year.
Exposure to cold temperatures, whether indoors or outside, can cause other serious or life-threatening health problems. To keep yourself and your family safe, you should know how to prevent cold-related health problems and what to do if a cold-weather health emergency arises.
During extreme cold weather, everyone is at risk, but some groups are more vulnerable than others. They include:
• Infants (under 1 year)
• People 65 years of age or older
• Homeless People
• Outdoor workers
• Sport enthusiasts (skiers, ice skaters)
• People living in homes that are poorly insulated or without heat
• People living in homes without power (usually due to other weather-related events such as a winter storm).
Symptoms/signs of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling/uncoordinated movements, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness.
Frostbite: Symptoms/signs include white/grayish skin area, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy, or numbness.
Consult a healthcare provider or call Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000 or TTY at 1-877-797-0007) if you experience any of the above symptoms.
There are numerous steps you can take both before and during this type of event:
• Stay in heated buildings as much as possible (your home, friend or family’s place, public buildings such as malls, libraries, etc)
• Drink warm fluids but avoid caffeinated or alcoholised beverages, as they cause your body to lose heat more rapidly.
• Dress appropriately when going outside (multiple layers of loose fitting clothes, toques, mittens, etc) and cover up all exposed skin since, in extreme cold, frostbite can occur within minutes.
• Avoid strenuous exercise while out in the cold as much as possible.
• Know the weather forecast, and avoid travelling when extreme weather is predicted.