Well, this is new.
So I'm new to the whole blogging experience, but I wanted to try a new way to connect with my fellow friends and Chicagoans. J. has been gracious enough to start this blog, and I hope to do him justice with my newbie posts. But on a day where the windchill is measuring in at -41, the time is as good as ever to write as I sit here next to my space heater. After watching the mess that was Mayor Rahm's news conference on Channel 2, I thought I would throw out my own list of "staying warm and safe" tips. Granted, this may be too little, too late information to throw out there, but I shall nonetheless. Growing up in the country I once went without power in the dead of a long, cold winter for three days, and it was miserable. Living in the city these situations are usually avoided, but power outages throughout urban areas do happen, as it did to those in Aurora today.
1. Always make sure you have enough water in your house. Buy a Brita filter and fill up reusable jugs or pitchers and keep them in the fridge or pantry. Or skip the filter and fill up extra containers straight from the faucet. Stockpile for at least 3 days. You can deal without a lot of "essentials" in case of emergency, but water is not one of them.
2. Locate your family and pets. This seems like a "duh" one, but is very important. Your loved ones that have to travel or work outside need a lifeline in case of emergency. Seniors have a lower metabolism and their bodies have a harder time keeping warm. Babies are also more vulnerable to cold. Pets get frostbite too, and need to be brought inside during extreme cold. Try to walk your dog in under three minutes and away from snow-- their paws are just as vulnerable as human fingers and toes. If they tolerate booties or a jacket, dress doggie up for the short trip outside.
3. Be careful with space heaters. Always make sure the cord has no exposed wires and has a UL sticker attached to it. ALWAYS keep space heaters at least 3 feet from any furnishings or anything flammable. Never use an extension cord with a space heater. Educate children on proper usage-- fires have started from children pushing the space heaters closer to their beds at night. I recommend not using them while sleeping, if possible.
4. If you must be outside, locate warming stations. In Chicago (and I assume in most districts) police stations and the public libraries are all open during regular business hours and are designated warming stations. Listen to your body-- duck inside if your body can't handle walking even just one more block.
5. Only go outside if absolutely necessary. This is not the time to go out for cocktails with friends, or to make snowmen with your children. Frostbite in these dangerous conditions will set in in under 5 minutes. Although hibernation and anti-socialization sucks, one night won't make that big an impact on your social status. Break out the board games you gave to your family at Christmas, make that complicated recipe you've been dying to try, run on your neglected treadmill, or read Game of Thrones. Or be like me and sit on your couch and watch Game of Thrones.
6. Check and make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and call 911 immediately if they go off. Responders do not mind and are equipped to check out every call-- even if you think it may be a false alarm.
7. Have an emergency supply kit on hand. This should comprise of flashlights, extra batteries, a battery operated radio, candles (never leave unattended), matches, lighters, hand warmer packets, a can opener, necessary medications, water, and dry non-perishable goods. Make sure your cell phone and your back up battery pack (if you have one) is fully charged at all times.
8. Make sure you have food on hand that doesn't need to be cooked. Cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, beans, etc. Before extreme weather hits, cook up some meals (that don't need to be reheated) and freeze them. Pasta with vegetables and marinara is a good and cheap example.
9. If you have to go outside, dress appropriately!!! This is not the time to stress over looking cute. Although I visually appreciated Colin Kaepernick going sleeveless on the field last night, anyone who is not Colin Kaepernick wearing such apparel in this weather just looks, well, dumb. Dress in several light layers as the space in between the layers helps to keep in the warmth. Wear a hat, gloves with fingers (I almost always wear fingerless gloves but today is a begrudging exception), insulated boots and a longer length insulated jacket. Also it is important to protect the face-- wear your scarf to cover your nose, or if you work outside, a ski mask may be appropriate (oh the horror, I know).
10. Leave your faucets on a slow drip to keep the pipes from freezing. Personally, I hate this tip as it is terrible for the environment, but when I googled "extreme cold safety tips," this one always popped up. So, yeah. Personally, I run each faucet for a quick minute once every hour. I don't know if this is better or worse--- maybe someone in the comments can help me out with this one?
11. This is not the time to pinch pennies! Keep your heater at least at 65 degrees or higher. When it warms up you can drop the thermostat again. Also, never attempt to heat your home with a stove or gas or charcoal appliance. This can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
12. Call the police or be a proactive citizen if you see a person in distress or needing assistance from the cold (such as a stranded motorist or the homeless). Your call could be the difference between life and death. All stranger safety rules still apply, but nothing is unsafe about calling the police to help them.
13. Call Animal Control immediately or offer assistance to a pet that is unleashed and outside in distress. Be careful with assisting wildlife if you choose to do so--- and remember to still call Animal Control. Attempting to help wildlife can be dangerous and should be left to officials, but you can provide temporary shelter with a box (with an exit), blanket, and unfrozen water.
14. Remember to be safe during this time. I can't give enough thanks or kudos to all the city and government workers, police, firemen, doctors, emergency responders, and everyone else involved in keeping people and animals safe. With a little preparation and precaution, you should emerge from these situations unscathed.
Feel free to add tips or criticisms in the comments below. Stay warm Chicago!!!
-Sarah
