Snow and Ice Safety
HOW TO BE SAFE IN ICE AND SNOW
Imagine…. your dream come true that school is cancelled due to the snow or ice. What do you do then on your day/days off? Go outside in the snow? Snowball fights, build snowmen, make snow forts, etc. Whatever you do, you have to know how to be safe.
LOVE THOSE LAYERS
Dressing in layers is the best way to stay warm and toasty in the cold. Why?
Because you can start out with lots of clothes to keep you warm and then peel off a layer once you start to heat up. Wear a T-shirt/long underwear, turtleneck, sweatshirt/sweater, and coat. Pick out fabrics other than cotton, because cotton doesn’t keep you very warm. If in doubt, put on more layers – they can always come off. Bottom half should be long underwear or tights, with some waterproof pants on the outside to keep you dry…couple pair of socks or heavy ones with good warm waterproof boots. Try to avoid jeans or light pants, because they don’t keep you warm or dry.
GRAB THE HAT
Wear a hat. Why? Tons of heat escapes right from your head. Scarves, facemasks, and earmuffs are also great at covering you up so you’ll stay comfortable longer.
Don’t forget mittens or gloves – the waterproof kind is best if you’ll be playing in the snow.
DRINK UP
Why? Isn’t that only in hot weather? When you’re outside in the cold and breathing hard, you lose a lot of your body’s water through your breath.
Warm drinks and soups keep you hydrated and heat up your insides. Plus stopping to have something warm to drink has 2 other bonuses:
- Makes you go inside and get warm for a few minutes while you’re drinking
- Makes you go inside and get warm for a few minutes while using the bathroom!
TAKE IT EASY
“Listen” to your body. If you start to shiver or your teeth are chattering, it’s a message that you need to head inside. Your body temp could be dropping and make you feel pretty crummy. So go inside if you’re too cold
Also, watch that other kids aren’t getting too cold. If it looks like a friend is shivering and really cold, suggest that you take a break inside together. Go inside for awhile, warm up with an activity, then you can head back out. Be sure to put wet clothes UP to dry, not in a heap. They will be wet when you put them back on and that’s dangerous.
FIGHT THE BITE
What that mean, bite? Frostbite. That’s when body tissue (skin) freezes, and it usually happens to skin that is exposed (like your face or ears) or to parts like fingers and toes, if wet and cold. So, if you can’t feel your toes or fingers, cheeks, ears, or nose, it may be a message for you to go inside. Sometimes frostbite can make these body parts hurt or feel hard when you touch them; it can also make the skin look glossy (shiny) or pale. If you even think this is happening, go inside and tell an adult right away.
Once inside, the adult should call your doctor. In the meantime, wiggle the part as much as you can – to get the blood circulating in the area. If possible, hold that part against another area of your body that’s warm – like holding your fingers under your armpits or down your pants. Do not stick in hot water or hold something hot against it. Putting the part in warm water is OK.
So keeping safe and warm in the winter can be easy and fun if you
- Put on layers
- Wear hat and gloves
- Have something warm to drink
- HEAD FOR THE BIGGEST SNOWBALL CHAMPIONSHIP EVER!