With the mercury predicted to drop to -36 C this week, it’s a good time for some reminders about things to prepare for.
Kids (and adults) may get stuck waiting a bit longer for a bus than normal, so dressing appropriately is more important than ever.
Dress in layers and have proper winter shoes or boots, hats, and gloves to help you stay warm, dry, and slip-free.
The Town of Cochrane has also issued some cold weather reminders:
Drive with caution
Leave extra time to get to your destination. Turn your headlights on, avoid high speeds and leave lots of space between you and the vehicle ahead of you.
Shovel your walkways or ask for help
As a Cochrane homeowner, you are responsible for shoveling your walkways to ensure that there are no slips and falls on your property. If you are unable to, reach out to a neighbour, friend or contact local companies to do the job.
Prepare an emergency kit
You never know when a winter storm may hit, whether you're out on the road or at home, it’s important to be prepared. Pack a bag with candles, water, blankets, matches, first aid kit and any other emergency supplies.
Be ice safe:
Although it may be tempting to walk, skate or play on frozen bodies of water, think twice. Venturing on to frozen bodies of water puts your safety at risk.
Ice-covered rivers, storm ponds and creeks are extremely dangerous. The surface may look solid, but changes underneath create unstable and unsafe conditions.
- Call 911 if you see someone on the ice.
- Don’t put yourself at risk. Never go onto the ice to rescue people or pets. Call 911.
- Avoid frozen riverbanks as the water may be below the ice surface, causing you to slip and fall into the water.
- Only go on designated areas such as the Tim Banister rink and Mitford Pond. These ae tested and maintained by the Town of Cochrane. Stay off & stay safe.
To protect against frostbite and hypothermia:
1. Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing.
2. Wear a hat. Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
3. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold.
4. Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.
If leaving home for an extended period of time, to keep pipes from freezing on an outside wall:
Let hot and cold water trickle or drip at night from a faucet. Open cabinet doors to allow more heat to get to un-insulated pipes under a sink or near an outer wall. Make sure heat is left on. Make sure you and your family know how to shut off the water, in case pipes burst. Never try to thaw a pipe with an open flame or torch. Use a hair dryer instead.
Always be careful of the potential for electric shock in and around standing water. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a silent, deadly killer claiming about 1,000 lives each year in the United States. Install a carbon monoxide detector. Never run generators indoors. Open a window slightly when using a kerosene heater and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Never use a gas oven to heat your home.
If your heat goes out, you can keep warm indoors by closing off rooms you do not need, dressing in layers of lightweight clothing, and wearing a cap.
Wood-burning stoves, fireplaces and heaters
Always keep a screen around an open flame. Never use gasoline to start your fireplace. Never burn charcoal.
