By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The kind of cold headed this way busts pipes, closes schools, and makes exposed skin unbearable.
Wind chills are expected to dip to -40 overnight Wednesday and into Thursday morning – bringing bitter cold that can freeze flesh in less than 10 minutes.
The National Weather Service has reported to the Wood County Emergency Management Agency that a wind chill warning is likely to be issued Tuesday night through Friday morning. Gusty winds will make matters worse, creating dangerous wind chills of -25 on Tuesday evening and Wednesday. The coldest period will be overnight Wednesday into Thursday, when wind chills could dip to -40.
Those temperatures are not only uncomfortable – but also dangerous. The frigid cold for this period of time will also start to impact infrastructure, so the EMA is suggesting that local residents plan for potential loss of infrastructure and services.
The frigid cold can lead to burst pipes, frozen paws, frostbitten fingers and car problems.
Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci has decided that the risk to kids is too great – so the schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a two-hour delay on Friday.
“Obviously, we have to be concerned about kids at the bus stops, or kids walking to school,” he said.
“It’s not an exact science,” but Scruci consults the National Weather Services’ table for dangerously cold conditions.
“We have to make sure that they’re safe.”
In addition to concerns about students, Scruci is also worried about the fleet of school buses starting up in the cold.
“Will we be able to get our buses started,” since diesel fuel tends to gel in the cold. Precautions are being taken, but again, it’s not an exact science.
If schools are closed due to the cold, the district will announce the closures on Facebook, Twitter, the district webpage, and through mass phone calls.
On Tuesday afternoon, Bowling Green State University announced classes on Wednesday would be canceled, but all office would be open. The women’s basketball game has been postponed (updated) until Feb. 20. Other events may be cancelled.
The City of Bowling Green has issued the following safety tips for residents during the extreme cold:
- Be sure to check your carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries regularly. If you are using space heaters, be sure to use them on a hard, level surface away from flammables, and make sure that they are plugged directly into an outlet-not a power strip. Do not use stoves, ovens or grills for heat. Check your meter and areas around heating equipment and use a broom to remove any remaining snow and ice.
- If you can, please stay indoors as frostbite can develop quickly in these extreme temperatures.
- If you must venture out, be sure to bundle up and make sure your vehicle has at least a half tank of fuel. Check on your neighbors, especially the elderly, and be sure to bring pets indoors.
- Extreme cold temperatures cause concerns for frozen water pipes. Taking the time now to insulate or apply heat tape to water pipes can help prevent this issue. Allowing a faucet to drip and keeping the doors open to cabinets with pipes inside them can also help prevent pipes from freezing and bursting. Be sure to locate and label your water-shutoff valve. Should your pipes freeze and burst, shutting off the water as quickly as possible will help minimize property damage.
- Whether heating your home with electric or gas, your appliances will be working overtime to keep your residence warm when temperatures drop. To avoid “sticker shock” on next month’s utility bill, limit the use of space heaters when possible. Also, keep your thermostat at a consistent temperature and resist the urge to crank it up. Add a layer of clothing or an extra blanket instead.
- An energy audit can be a great way to identify areas in your home where insulation and other energy saving features can be applied. In the short term, you can seal air leaks where you feel cold drafts by hanging blankets over windows and doors, installing DIY plastic insulation kits on your windows, or by placing draft stoppers along the base of your doors. Despite best efforts, with such extreme cold temperatures, utility bills will likely be higher next month. If you are having trouble paying your heating bill, please contact the Salvation Army at 419-352-5918.
The frigid forecast has been enough to halt home-delivered meals on Wednesday by the Wood County Committee on Aging.
This decision was made for the safety of seniors, the volunteers who deliver meals throughout Wood County, and the drivers, according to Denise Niese, director of the committee on aging. A total of 27 routes are delivered Monday through Friday serving 575 homebound seniors daily.
Knowing that the winter weather might interrupt some meal deliveries, the senior center provided two “shelf stable” meals in October to those getting meals. Also, clients were offered an additional frozen meal that can be reheated in the microwave or oven for Wednesday.
The Wood County senior centers throughout the county will be open during their regular hours on Wednesday.
The frigid temperatures also make work difficult for crews and equipment that clear roads and respond to emergencies.
Bowling Green residents count on city workers to plow snow off the roads, respond to car crashes, and keep the power on during winter weather. Doing that in bitter cold weather takes a toll on city equipment and on the people that operate it.
Snow plow blades are more likely to break in this cold, police cruisers have to run continuously during shifts, and fire hoses have been known to freeze.
Firefighting is especially tricky in freezing temperatures.
Public works crews face their own problems, with the extreme cold taking a toll on equipment like plow blades and trash containers that become increasingly brittle and are more prone to breaking.
The Wood County Public District Library will be open this week, but its bookmobile and outreach services have been canceled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week, due to the cold.
The library’s website (https://wcdpl.org), Facebook page and Twitter feeds will have updates if there are future impacts from the weather.
The Northwestern Water and Sewer District is reminding customers of what to do in case water pipes burst due to the cold and a boil notice is issued.
If a boil notice is issued, residents will be notified with hand-delivered door tags. In case of a widespread boil notice, notification may be given via phone calls, nwwsd.org, social media, television and radio.
The following steps should be taken if a boil order is issued:
- Do not consume your water without boiling it first.
- Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice.
- Bring water to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boil for two minutes and don’t forget to cool the water before consuming it.
- Instead of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source, such as The WaterShed.
Some professionals in Bowling Green accustomed to dealing with the complications of cold weather offered some advice last year on how to protect people, pets, pipes and vehicles during these frigid temperatures.
First, how people can prevent harm to themselves …
“I wouldn’t be out more than a half hour at a time,” said Kevin Hosley, registered nurse at Wood County Hospital Emergency Department. And bundle up. “Any exposed skin should be covered.”
People with lung problems or the elderly should avoid being out in this brittle cold, Hosley added.
The most serious risk to humans is hypothermia, when the body’s temperature drops dangerously low, said Alex Aspacher, community outreach coordinator with the Wood County Health Department.
“Basically, your body starts to lose heat faster than it can replace it,” Aspacher said.
One symptom of hypothermia is confusion, so “somebody might not know they have it,” he added.
Hunters and homeless people are susceptible, but in these frigid temperatures some people are at risk even if they aren’t outside. Especially vulnerable are babies or older people in very cold homes. “Older people lose body heat faster” and babies aren’t able to generate heat the way others can to keep themselves warm, Aspacher said.
If hypothermia is suspected, the person’s temperature should be taken. If below 95 degrees, 911 should be called, he said. Any wet clothing should be removed, and the person should be placed in a warm room and bundled in blankets – an electric blanket if available.
The other risk with the cold is frostbite, when skin is exposed, commonly on the face, hands and feet. Aspacher explained that in frigid weather, the body prioritizes which areas to keep warm, so the extremities are likely to suffer first.
If frostbite is suspected, the area should be warmed with an electric blanket or warm water – not hot water, Aspacher cautioned. The frostbitten areas should not be massaged, and the person should avoid walking on frostbitten toes and feet.
The health department also advises that people should be prepared for power outages by having a three-day supply of water, canned food, medications and pet foods in their homes. A cold weather kit should also be stocked with duct tape, a weather radio and a wrench to shut off burst pipes.
Next, how to protect your pets …
House pets aren’t accustomed to any extended exposure to these type of temperatures, said Janet Duty, of the Animal Hospital at West Ridge in Bowling Green.
Some dogs get really excited about playing out in the snow – but people need to keep an eye on them.
“Indoor dogs are not as adaptable,” Duty said. “Watch for signs of them limping. Snow gets stuck between their toes” and the pads on their paws can be cut by ice.
Outdoor animals, such as barn cats, need to have places to cuddle up out of the wind. “Make sure they have a place that’s dry,” Duty said.
And water need to be frequently replaced, since it won’t take long in these temperatures for a bowl of water to become a block of ice. “Water needs to be maintained,” she said. “It will freeze solid.”
How to avoid problems at home …
Turning heat down too far at home won’t save money if the pipes freeze and burst. Most of the problems could be avoided with basic common sense, according to Neil Gearhart of Gearhart Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in Bowling Green.
“There’s a whole slew of millennials who don’t know what to do,” Gearhart said. It’s simple – don’t turn the heat way down in a house during this weather. Even thermostats that automatically turn down to 62 at night can be dangerous in this brittle cold, he said.
And keep cupboard doors open under sinks that are on the outside wall of a home, he said.
Gearhart said he often responds to homes where garage doors and home vents aren’t kept closed, even in this weather. It would also be helpful for homeowners to know how to turn the water off to their home – before they have to learn during an emergency.
Bowling Green sees a lot of burst pipes when weather like this hits during winter break. When student renters leave for the break, some turn off their heat, thinking it will save money. It’s not uncommon for local plumbers to get calls from police officers who notice the problems first.
“We get calls that water is pouring out of the front door and freezing,” Gearhart said.
What about safety out on the road …
Many vehicle problems encountered in the winter cold could be avoided with check-ups in the fall, said Jay Sockman, of Sockman Automotive in Bowling Green.
The battery, wipers, washer fluid, antifreeze, and tires should be checked.
Drivers should pack an emergency kit for winter, which should be stocked with water, energy bars, jumper cables, flashlight, and a battery pack with a port to power cell phones. Some battery packs can even jumpstart cars, Sockman said.
It’s also a good idea to pack a bag of kitty litter, which serves a dual purpose of adding weight to the car and adding traction to icy surfaces.
When driving in these frigid temperatures, Sockman suggested giving a car time to warm up. “Let it run 10 minutes,” he said.
And don’t rely on the windshield wipers or electric windows to clean off the ice. Scrape off the windows and make sure they aren’t frozen, so the cables aren’t snapped or motors ruined trying to unstick the windows or wipers.
When traveling any great distance in this weather, get your vehicle checked out before you hit the road, Sockman said.
“If you’re planning on going somewhere, don’t wait to schedule your car in,” he said.
