Winter storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Winter storms including blizzards can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice and high winds.
Holiday & Cold Weather Tips
Cold Front Approaching
A cold front is set to move into Texas and temperatures will be dropping Thursday. Some icy patches maybe present on bridges and overpasses, even outside of the freezing rain zones. This event is not nearly as extreme as the record-breaking February 2021 freeze. However, if you or a loved one lives in the effected areas, or you have concerns always remember the 4-Ps:
People: Check on your neighbors and loved ones.
Pets: If you are cold, so are they. Bring them in and keep yourselves warm together.
Plants: Cover your plants to protect them from frost, if possible relocate them.
Pipes: Insulate your exposed pipes and drain your hoses and disconnect them.
Also remember to never use a gas stove or heater to heat the inside of your home. Run your generators outside of your home and use caution when using candles or lanterns. Stay informed, stay safe, and stay warm.
Holiday Safety Tips- Sober Driving
Be Responsible
Since the public health emergency began, we’ve seen drivers making riskier decisions when they’re behind the wheel. As the year comes to a close and a new one begins, make it a point to drive safely — and drive sober — every day.
Have a Plan Whether You’re Driving, Riding or Hosting
If you’re celebrating and drinking this holiday season, always remember to plan ahead with a sober driver to take you home. If you’re the designated driver, it’s important to take the role seriously and don’t consume alcohol. Here are some more safety tips:
- Never drink and drive.
- Don’t let someone get behind the wheel if that person has been drinking.
- If you’re hosting a gathering, make sure everyone has a sober ride home.
- Always wear your seat belt. It’s your best defense against impaired drivers.
- Call 911 if you see a drunk driver.
❄ How To Prepare For A Freeze
HOW TO PREPARE FOR FRIGID TEMPS
A cold front on Saturday will usher in Freezing conditions this weekend. A freeze watch is in effect Saturday night for the northern half of the Houston area with additional products possible Sunday night. Wind chill Sunday morning will be in the teens to twenties.
With winter temperatures dropping significantly, staying warm and safe can become a challenge. We want to remind area residents to take precautions to protect life and property during the winter weather, including checking on elderly, taking care of pets and livestock, protecting plants and exposed plumbing.
Here are some tips for dealing with freezing temperatures:
Holiday Safety Tips- UNdecorating Safety Tips
Putting those decorations away present some unexpected hazards
All of the presents you spent countless hours shopping for ― now unwrapped and played with (albeit maybe not for as long as you’d predicted). The stockings are no longer hung by the chimney with care. Another successful holiday, full of memories to cherish.
It can be easy to breathe a sigh of relief, but pediatrician Purva Grover, MD, cautions that packing up after holiday festivities can present some unexpected hazards, especially when taking ornaments down from the tree.
Glass ornaments, or really cute, fine decorations are things that smaller kids can ingest. Older kids can actually get harmed too, if they’re playing and running around. They might step on them and smash them. And the same goes for our four-legged friends as well – it’s definitely something for parents to think about.
Even not decorating can be a hazard
Likewise, Dr. Grover says while many of us are reluctant to let go of our Christmas spirit, trying to hang on to a live tree for too long can be a serious safety hazard.
“If you see the needles are brown and getting brittle, those have a very high chance of falling off ― causing eye injuries, cuts and bruises,” she says. “I know it’s festive. I know it’s important. But the point at which the tree is now starting to become very dry and brittle, it’s time for us to say bye-bye to it. That’s because even just a little bit of warmth can cause it to catch fire.”
While most families know that it takes a little while to get the house back in order after the holiday rush, Dr. Grover says toys, boxes and wrapping materials left lying around can lead to accidental cuts and scrapes.
It’s also important to discard any plastic bags or wrapping materials promptly, as these can pose a suffocation hazard to small children.
And don’t forget to play safe with those new holiday presents, either
You’ve bought the presents. You’ve wrapped the presents. And you’ve Instagrammed them unwrapping the present. But it’s important that your role isn’t done. Be sure to supervise your kids as they assemble their new toys too.
Many toys designed for older children come with small parts and pieces that can be choking or ingestion hazards for little ones, so be especially careful if you have kids of various ages in your house.
One thing to be especially careful about, she adds, are any toys or gadgets that have button batteries. These items need to be out of reach of little ones, because swallowing a button battery can be dangerous or even fatal.
And lastly, if you’re planning to head outdoors to take down decorations on the house, Dr. Grover reminds parents to be mindful of ladders and make sure their kids aren’t playing around them unsupervised.