Winter Season Safety Suggestions: At-Risk Citizens Guide For Basic Safety and Health

Winter Season Safety
Suggestions
At-risk Citizens Guide for

Basic Safety and Health
HELPU Fire and Life Safety

Cold Weather & Winter Season
Cold weather, winds, bitter rains, and
heavy snows cause many concerns
for all citizens BUT for people with
special needs, i.e. people with
paralysis, diabetic conditions, and
neuropathy, concerns can be
magnified.
Following are suggestions for numerous
conditions that an At-risk citizen may
encounter.
Some definitions are • Diabetic – a
first needed to condition that can
explain the issues follow along the
and the weather lines of neuropathy
concerns – also low sugar
• Neuropathy – a conditions can
condition that limits cause light-
or diminishes the headedness
ability to feel leading to
sensations, i.e. misjudgment or
heat, cold, pain, impaired abilities.
damage, or injury.
• Hypothermia – a all sensation to the
condition in which the extremity that has
person’s body become frostbitten.
temperature lowers to Many times loss of the
a dangerous level that extremity occurs with
can lead to severe exposure and
unconsciousness and damage.
eventual death A person with a
• Frostbite – a very neuropathy, diabetic
severe condition in condition or
which the person’s paralysis of their
body temperature has limbs may suffer
significantly lowered more severe damage
and the person loses and injury.
As a person with (complete*) paralysis I

have taken measures to safeguard
myself against weather conditions
that may cause further damage to my
body.
Following will be some of the
suggestions I have taken to protect
myself from severe winter events.
* Complete – meaning no sensation of the paralyzed limbs.

Hands – for most of us the instruments

we use most often and rely upon to
do our work.
Many uses of our hands -

The palms of the hands, the fingers and

the fingertips can all get badly
damaged if not protected from severe
winter weather.
One way to protect hands is by using

gloves especially gloves that have an
inner insulation that maintains the
hand’s warmth. The gloves should
also extend beyond the wrist.
Mittens are also good for people with
clawed hands to protect them from
the winter elements.
Curious – while driving do you use

gloves?
Some gloves are probably too bulky to
safely maneuver a vehicle’s steering
column but a simple pair of driving
gloves while inside the vehicle can
help keep the hands and fingers
warm.
Hands lose their moisture and can dry up and
become brittle, calloused, and cracked in
winter weather. Try to have small bottles,
(I use travel bottles) of a moisturizing hand
cream in your vehicle's glove box, purse,
coat pocket, or briefcase. Not only will it
soften up your hands but hand creams can
replenish the moisture lost to dry heats,
bitter blowing winds, icing, and cold snows.
Feet can be sometimes overlooked,

after all we do wear shoes, boots,
sneakers, or heels. But, the feet can
become very easily frostbitten if they
are not warm enough, have poor
circulation, or are otherwise
compromised by injuries, age or size.
Are you diabetic, do you have

neuropathy, or poor circulation in your
legs and feet? If so, then please
schedule a visit –
Here is why you should visit with your doctor
regarding your feet. Some people with
diabetes, neuropathy, poor circulation, and
others may not notice, feel, or sense injury
or damage to their feet or legs.
A doctor is trained to check for pulse,
warmth, sensation, and use of the
extremity and will be able to help guide you
in monitoring injury to your feet and legs.
Thick heavy socks like the first graphic

shown can help keep your feet warm
and dry. Remember though, if they
get wet, your feet are wet, cold, and in
danger of frostbite. The second
graphic of socks are good for
sleeping, they are thinner, about mid-
calf length and will help protect your
feet against temperature changes.
Some people like to lounge around
without dress or work shoes on their
feet, that’s great but how about
keeping the feet warm and protected
against small objects, table legs,
couch or end table protrusions –
Slippers that entirely cover the foot from
toes to heel help maintain warmth and
give some protection against bumps,
stubs, etc.
What about your head and ears? Hats

are coming back into style! Simple
hooded coats, or parkas can keep
your head and ears warm, an ear
muff, or even a pulled down knitted
cap. Heat escapes through your
head. If it is protected and warm, less
heat escapes.
Some other suggestions that are routinely
done by the author –
• I carry a thermometer to check my body
temperature. I have no sensation of hot
or cold and do not wish to suffer frostbite.
If my body temperature drops I know to
get inside and warm myself up.
• I wear sun glasses while driving in snow,
not while it is falling but after it has
settled. Snow is blinding and glaring and
I do not want to harm my vision.
• I carry a tube of lip balm with sun
screen in it to protect my lips from
chapping, cracking and bleeding due
to the severe colds and winds.
• My vehicle has two woolen blankets
stored in it, one in the back seat and
one in the trunk.
• I also carry extra bottles of fresh
drinking water in the car and a
thermos of hot coffee.
• I have a service dog and he has his
own thermal blanket in the car with
him and a full body coat that he
wears. He also has boots and two
extra jugs of water in the car for him.
• My cell phone is the newer version,
(not expensive at all) with GPS
tracking. I have a car charger stored
in the glove box for it also.
• Since the heat will be on while I am driving
I stop regularly to get fresh air breaks and
to loosen stiffened muscles from driving.
• I carry with me a small insulated lunch bag
that has nutritious healthy high-protein
snacks to eat for energy and also some
lightly salted snacks to help remind me of
thirst so that my body stays hydrated with
the fresh water.
We have finally come to the end of this

presentation. We hope it provides
some useful guidance and help to
you.
For further information, please contact:
HELPU Fire and Life Safety
http://www.helpusafety.org
Email helpu@visi.net

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Winter Season Safety

At-risk Citizens Guide for

HELPU Fire and Life Safety

As a person with (complete*) paralysis I

* Complete – meaning no sensation of the paralyzed limbs.

Hands – for most of us the instruments

Many uses of our hands -

The palms of the hands, the fingers and

One way to protect hands is by using

Curious – while driving do you use

Feet can be sometimes overlooked,

Are you diabetic, do you have

Thick heavy socks like the first graphic

What about your head and ears? Hats

We have finally come to the end of this

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