Paramedics warn of risks associated with cold weather

With the weather getting colder and colder, the risks of being outside without proper attire continue to get higher.

According to Troy Davies, director of public affairs for Medavie Health Services West, the way the weather hit Saskatoon, with wind, snow and ice, created a dangerous situation.

“The weather in itself is a dangerous situation for any resident, especially a senior who slips and falls and might be laying on the ground in -40 degree weather,” he said.

“So with the turn of the weather that we have just seen we wanted to put this alert out there that it has hit critical conditions. Even a simple 10-minute walk, a couple blocks, can have serious effects with this type of weather conditions and wind chill.”

He says paramedics often see increased calls when the weather gets this cold, and it can put extra stress on them because even what would normally be a regular occurrence like a fall or a car crash could become life-threatening because of the weather.

To avoid the dangers of the cold like frostnip, frostbite and hypothermia, Davies advises to dress in layers, make sure skin isn’t exposed and keep an emergency kit with extra blankets and warm clothes in your car.

His tips for avoiding the dangers of the cold may seem obvious but he says “this stuff can really sneak up on you” if you aren’t prepared.

“You might have the white waxy skin that feels numb and you might have areas where you see discolouration and that’s typically the main sign that you will see on your skin whether it is red, white or even the point where it is black,” he said. “You know at that point it is quite critical.

“The first thing you should do is turn the hot water on and try to warm up. The bad thing is you can be doing some damage to the tissue underneath your skin until you get full feeling back into those extremities.”

According to Davies, the people most at risk for cold related injuries or ailments are seniors — who may have lower blood circulation because of their medication — and people who are intoxicated who might not realize just how cold it is.

“Our biggest fear is frostbite. That would be the worst-case scenario where you’ve actually had death to the tissue and you start to see skin turning black,” he said.

“In these types of conditions hypothermia can set in within minutes if you are caught outside and you aren’t wearing the proper attire.”