Stay safe and warm in the coming cold
As we learned in the Friday, Jan. 17, edition of the Butler Eagle, bitterly cold temperatures are forecast for the coming days.
On Monday and Tuesday, it will feel like it’s below 0 degrees because of the windchill.
That can be very dangerous, especially for senior citizens. But there are things to do to stay safe.
The first is to have someplace warm to stay. One option is the Glade Run Warming Center, located at the Grace Community Wellness Center on East Diamond Street, which is open from 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. every day.
If you have your own place to stay, consider raising the temperature to as high as 70 degrees or using a space heater to keep warm.
No matter what you use to heat your space, it’s important to have a working carbon monoxide detector. Earlier this month, three people died in a home on College Street, and authorities believe the culprit was carbon monoxide poisoning.
The carbon monoxide detectors in the home were disabled.
Any appliance that burns fuel, from a furnace to a kerosene heater, can give off carbon monoxide if not working properly. Without a carbon monoxide detector, it can be difficult or impossible to tell that there are elevated levels of the colorless, odorless, tasteless gas in the air.
Finally, avoid going out in the cold unless absolutely necessary. If you do have to go out, dress in multiple layers and limit the time you’re outside.
Don’t let cold weather turn deadly — take some basic precautions.
— JK
