After freezing temperatures and multiple inches of snowfall on Thursday, Oklahoma’s Emergency Medical Service Authority responded to five cold exposure calls, leading to four individuals being hospitalized.
Temperatures this week are expected to get warmer throughout the metro, delaying some anticipation of the cold. However, EMSA still urges the public to prepare for colder temperatures when they return.
The organization wrote in a press release that “it is important residents take proper cold-weather precautions if they spend time outdoors and become familiar with the signs and symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite. “
Here’s how to prepare for the cold weather before the next round of winter weather.
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Grab winter clothes
EMSA recommends that anyone spending time outside needs to wear the proper clothing for the temperatures. This includes:
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Warm boots or shoes with traction
What is hypothermia?
Hypothermia is a medical emergency occurring when the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. A normal body temperature is around 98.6 F. Hypothermia occurs when a person’s body temperature falls below 95 F. These are the warning signs of hypothermia:
What is frostbite?
Finally, frostbite can occur when a person is not wearing clothing suitable for sub-freezing temperatures. Risk of frostbite increases as temps fall below 5 degrees. Fingers, toes, facial features and ears are the most likely places where frostbite will occur on the body. With the bitter temperatures, frostbite will set in in less than 15 minutes. Young children and the elderly are the most susceptible to frostbite. Signs of frostbite include:
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Cold skin and prickling feeling
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Skin that looks different than normal
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Hard or waxy-looking skin
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: EMSA: Tips to protect against frostbite, hypothermia in winter