Winter safety tips

(NC)-Winter gives us invigorating fresh air, but it also brings us hazards and emergencies with ice and snow. Winter is the season of yuletide celebrations and New Year’s parties, but it is also the time of year when we catch colds and spread germs and share our food and drink with far more people.

Canadians particularly love to break away from the city for snow sports and winter carnivals, and yet we have to be vigilant about road safety and weather advisories – and we must also protect ourselves with appropriate outdoor clothing and proper gear once there. Winter safety does have its challenges.

Would you, for instance, know what to do if the power to your home was cut off by a winter storm? Does your car have four identical snow tires, inflated adequately for slippery conditions? For a day of skiing or snowboarding, skating or tobogganing, do you know how to factor-in the windchill to dress warmly enough? Did you know that you should never rub or massage frostbitten skin?

Inform yourself and stay safe
Safety measures require a lot of common sense, but unfortunately some hazards lurk unforeseen. To be better prepared, take a look at theublic Safety Web site, http://www.safecanada.ca/. Spearheaded by the federal Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, this site is a one-stop shop highlighting safety and security information and services from over 50 key sources.

It features more than 20 winter safety topics including Holiday Traveling, Holiday Entertaining, Winter Driving Tips, Sports Safety, Health Safety, the Family Emergency Handbook and more. Winter Safety tips are profiled on SafeCanada.ca’s homepage as one topic and are easily accessible. Here is a sampling of the tips for dealing with a winter power failure in your home:

. Keep on hand: an Emergency supply of foods that require no preparation, plus flashlights, a battery-powered radio (with fresh batteries), anti-freeze to protect the plumbing, CSA emergency heating equipment, and candles or lanterns to provide light.

. When the power goes off: Turn off all electrical appliances, notify your local hydro supplier and use a powered radio for information.

. Don’t panic. Houses remain bearably warm for several hours when doors and windows are kept closed.

. Conserve your emergency fuel by warming only one room, keeping the temperature low. Wear heavy clothing.

. If you abandon your house, turn off the main electrical switch; turn off the water main and cover the valve, inlet pipe, and pump or meter with a blanket or other insulating material. (Source: Environment Canada 2004)

Canada Information and Services

You can also find links to SafeCanada.ca through the Canada Site at http://www.canada.gc.ca. This is the primary Internet portal for quick, easy and reliable information and services in Canada. Topics for residents vary from health to jobs, to parenting, travel, special interests, public services and more, for residents, non-Canadians and business.

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