7 Must-Dos to Prep for Cold Weather

culled from:boston.com

1. Dress in layers. Many thin layers trap the heat better than one thick one. When going outside, cover exposed skin--and wear a hat! (This morning, as I was driving around for school drop-off in 14 degree weather, I was astounded by the number of people without hats). One caveat: don't dress in so many layers that you sweat. As the sweat evaporates, it makes you colder (that's the whole point of sweat).
2. Actually check the weather forecast. The weather has a way of being unexpected; while you might expect the temperature to go up during the day as the sun gets higher in the sky, it doesn't always work out that way. Also, the wind chill can make a huge difference. So check that app or the TV weather or whatever, and make sure that you and your family are dressed for the actual weather--and are prepared for the whole day.
3. Limit outside time. This sounds obvious, but sometimes we get so stuck in our habits that we don't adjust them. When the temperature drops below freezing, and especially as it drops below 20 degrees, it can get dangerous quickly. So limit playtime outside, shorten the dog walk (our Bernese Mountain Dog bums out when we do that--he thinks that this is the perfect weather), work out drop-offs and pick-ups to limit outside waiting.
This is particularly important for people with asthma. Cold air is a common trigger for wheezing, so you really want to limit their outside time. Putting a scarf over the face, or using one of those face mask hats, can help.
4. Heat safely. New England is full of old and drafty houses, and all of us want to stay warm. But every year there are fires, carbon monoxide and gas poisoning from unsafe heating. Don't ever heat with a stove, make sure you have a carbon monoxide monitor (they really do save lives) and be really, really careful with space heaters, wood stoves and fireplaces. For more information, check out these tips from the National Fire Protection Association.
5. Know the signs of frostbite. As skin gets cold, it usually gets red and stings. (That's a good time to get indoors.) But as it gets colder, it gets white, gray or yellow--and numb. Those are signs of frostbite. If that happens, get somewhere warm, use body heat or warm water to warm up the cold body part, and call your doctor.
6. Know the signs of hypothermia. As you get colder, your body starts shutting down to conserve heat--and this can get very dangerous. Signs of hypothermia (along with shivering and other signs of being cold) include drowsiness, confusion and slurred speech. If any of this happens, get somewhere warm immediately, use dry warm things to heat up (like warm towels or an electric blanket) and give the person something warm to drink (unless they are very drowsy, in which case they might choke, so don't). Check the person's temperature--if it's below 95 that's an emergency, and you should go quickly to an emergency room or call 911. Even if it's not that low, it's a good idea to check in with your doctor for advice.
7. Be aware of your neighbors, especially elderly or ill ones. Cold weather can make lots of health problems worse, not just asthma--and it can make it very hard for people to get out to buy food and medicines. Plus, they may not make safe home heating decisions. So knock on doors, say hello, check in on people, offer to do errands, see if anyone needs a casserole. At the very least, you'll build stronger friendships with the people around you.