Tips for Battling the Cold Weather

ZANESVILLE, OH – With the bitter cold and wind chill we’ve been experiencing over the last few days, the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department is sharing some tips on how you can protect yourself from the elements.

Dr. Jack Butterfield, the Medical Director for the ZMCHD, said most people often underestimate how much damage cold weather can do to your body.

“You have to pay attention to the temperature but even more important to the windchill,” Butterfield said. “People think the windchill is just what it feels like. No, the windchill is a temperature used to reflect how much damage is going to be done to your skin if you are exposed to it constantly.” 

Butterfield recommends staying inside if you can, but if you can’t then he suggests layering up before heading out.

He also talked about what to do if someone develops hypothermia or frostbite.

“The first thing to do if you come upon someone with hypothermia is to call 911 and then second is to get them to a warm dry place,” Butterfield said. “The treatment for frostbite is again to get the person out of the cold and don’t rub the affected area. If you can’t get the person out of the cold, don’t warm the frostbitten area because warming to where it thaws and refreezes does even more extensive damage.”

Butterfield also recommends keeping an emergency kit in your car. The kit should include items like blankets, a flashlight, extra batteries, and jumper cables. 

For more information about how to be safe this winter, you can head to www.zmchd.org