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SAFETY AND HEALTH
Ready or not, here comes this year's rendition of winter in Illinois. My family and I moved to central Illinois a couple years ago from central Oklahoma, and one of the things I like about this region is the definite seasons. However, with winter comes two very uninvited guests. The onslaught of freezing and sub-freezing temperatures brings the potential of hypothermia and frostbite. You have to adequately prepare for the cold conditions. You don't want to play the "Survivor" game for real in the frozen tundra of Illinois. Because of the nature of line work, electric co-ops have crews outside every day and night in the worst of winter weather. Farmers have to be outdoors in the cold, too. And every one of us will eventually make that shopping trip to the store on slick winter roads. Are you prepared for an unexpected sub-freezing survival adventure? Hypothermia is the decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscular and cerebral functions are impaired. Our bodies work hard to maintain a core temperature of 98.6 degrees. In cold temperature situations, your body will automatically reduce blood flow to extremities like arms, legs, fingers, and toes, and re-direct that blood flow to internal organs. This redirected blood flow from the extremities will increase the chance for frostbite. Add in to this equation the wind chill factor, which is the combined effect of air temperature and air movement, and we could all find ourselves having Jack Frost nipping not only at our nose, but also our fingers and toes. So, what is the warm before the storm? It's planning now for what we need to do when the temperatures plummet. Here are a few suggestions: • Dress in layers when you must work outside. • Take ample breaks where you can go to a warm environment. • Wear good fitting hats and gloves. Remember, human tissue freezes at the ambient temperature of 30 degrees Fahrenheit. • Drink plenty of warm fluids throughout the day. • Try your best to keep your clothing dry. If you do get wet try to change into dry clothing as soon as you can. • Prepare a winter survival kit for your personal vehicle equipped with blankets, flashlights with fresh batteries, hand and foot warmers, jumper cables, extra sets of clothing, and first aid kits. • Try to make sure someone else knows where you are going, and the route you will be taking if you are going to travel alone. • If you have a cell phone keep your battery charged while you travel. Think through your travel situations and take with you what you would need for that situation. The important thing is to do it now while the temperature is mild. With slick winter roads, electric co-ops see more broken poles caused by vehicle accidents. If your car hits a power pole or otherwise brings a power line down, getting out of the vehicle, with few exceptions, is the wrong thing to do until the line has been de-energized. "You are almost always better off to stay in the car, especially if the line is in contact with the vehicle," says Molly Hall, Director of the Safe Electricity program. "If the line is energized and you step outside, your body becomes the path and electrocution is the tragic result." It's best to wait until the electric utility arrives to make sure power to the line is cut off. The only exception would be if fire or the smell of gasoline were present. In that case, the proper action is to jump - not step -with both feet hitting the ground at the same time. Jump clear, without touching the vehicle and ground at the same time. Shuffle or hop to safety keeping both feet together as you leave the area. Let's all have a safe and great winter! For more information on winter driving safety go to the Illinois State Police Web site www.isp.state.il.us and click on safety. For electric safety information go to Safe Electricity's Web site www.safeelectricity.org.
14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.icl.coop |
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