Winter weather poses unique challenges to people faced with bitter cold, snow and ice. The American Red Cross has steps you should take to stay safe if you are in the path of winter storms.

STAY SAFE DURING WINTER WEATHER

1.     Wear layers of clothing, a hat, mittens and waterproof, insulated boots.

2.     Be careful when tackling strenuous tasks like shoveling snow in cold temperatures.

3.     Check on your neighbors, especially elderly people living alone, people with disabilities and children.

4.     Bring pets indoors. If they don’t come inside, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.

5.     Watch for hypothermia and frostbite. Hypothermia symptoms include confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering. Frostbite symptoms include numbness, flushed gray, white, blue or yellow skin discoloration, or waxy feeling skin.

WINTER TRAVEL SAFETY

Stay off the road if possible during severe weather. If you must drive in winter weather, follow these tips:

6.     Make sure everyone has their seat belts on and give your full attention to the road.

7.     Don’t follow other vehicles too closely. Sudden stops are difficult on snowy roadways.

8.     Don’t use cruise control when driving in winter weather.

9.    Don’t pass snowplows.

10.  Ramps, bridges and overpasses freeze before roadways.

HEAT YOUR HOME SAFELY

It’s that time of year when many people resort to space heaters and other sources to keep their homes warm. Home heating is the second leading cause of fires in this country. To reduce the risk of heating related fires, the Red Cross recommends these steps. Find more about home fire safety at redcross.org/fire.

• All heaters need space. Keep children, pets and things that can burn (paper, matches, bedding, furniture, clothing, carpets and rugs) at least three feet away from heating equipment.
• If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets.
• Plug power cords directly into outlets – never into an extension cord.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended and use a glass or metal fire screen to keep fire and embers in the fireplace.
• Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Never use a cooking range or over to heat your home.
  
  

DOWNLOAD APPS People can download the Red Cross Emergency App for instant access to weather alerts for their area and where loved one live. Expert medical guidance and a hospital locator are included in the First Aid App. Both apps are available to download for free in app stores or at redcross.org/apps.

About the American Red Cross of Illinois
The American Red Cross of Illinois serves 12.4 million people in 88 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri including Adams, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cook, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, De Witt, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Green, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, Whiteside, Will, Williamson Winnebago, Woodford. Iowa: Lee, Muscatine, Scott and Van Buren. Missouri: Clark, Lewis, Marion and Ralls. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at Redcross.org/Illinois or visit us on Twitter @RedCrossIL.