How to Keep Your Child Safe In A Stoneham Winter

A release from Stoneham Safety Officer Joseph Ponzo:

Winter is a really fun time of the year, but while you’re out having fun, you’ve got to know how to
be safe. When it’s cold outside and you’re not prepared, you can feel uncomfortable or even
downright rotten. I have composed a few tips to help keep winter one of the most wonderful
seasons of the year.

Dressing in layers is the best way to stay warm and toasty in the cold, because you can start out
with lots of clothes to keep you warm and then peel them off once you start to heat up. For your
top half, start by putting on a long-sleeved undershirt (thermal or wool), then put on a
turtleneck, one or two shirts, a sweater and a coat. If you can, pick out clothes that are made of
fabrics other than cotton, because cotton doesn’t keep you very warm. For your bottom half, put
on long underwear first (thermal or wool), then put on a pair of heavy pants. Try to avoid jeans or
light cotton pants (like khakis), because they again won’t keep you very warm. They will actually
make your legs and behind colder if you fall down and get wet. Waterproof pants (like ski pants)
are best. Finish up with heavy socks and waterproof boots. If you’re going to be doing a lot of
trekking around, you’ll want to wear boots that have good treads for keeping you steady on snowy
and icy areas.

Make sure you always wear a hat. Most of your body heat escapes through the head. Scarves, face
masks and earmuffs are also great at keeping your body heat in. But besides dressing warm for
the winter, you should also eat right as well. When you’re outside in the cold and breathing hard,
you lose a lot of your body’s water through your breath and the best way to get the water back
and preventing dehydration is to drink up! Preventing dehydration will also reduce and/or
eliminate cramping, which can be extremely uncomfortable, especially when shoveling snow.
Listen to the signs that your body is giving you, for instance if you shiver or your teeth are
chattering, it’s a message from your body that you need to head inside. If your body temperature
drops even 4 or 5 degrees while you’re outside, it can make you feel extremely uncomfortable.
And if you ever feel dizzy or weak those are sure signs that you have to take it easy indoors for a
while.

With all these tips in mind you can prevent the worst winter danger of all, FROSTBITE! Frostbite
is when the body’s tissues freeze and it usually happens to skin that is exposed. Sometimes
frostbite can make these body parts hurt or feel hard when you touch them; it can also make the
skin on these parts look glossy (shiny) or pale. If you think even for a second that you might have
frostbite, go indoors. Once you’re inside, try and wiggle the affected are as much as you can - this
will make more blood go to the area. If possible, hold the part against another area of your body
that’s warm - like holding your fingers on your stomach. Never stick the frostbitten part in hot
water or hold something hot against it. Putting the part in warm water is O.K. - just be sure you
have an adult check the temperature first.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can prevent disaster and enjoy another wonderful season.

Remember Safety First!