Winter Storm, Frigid Temps Cross U.S.; Blood Drive Cancellations Grow

Millions of people across the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states are seeing heavy snow and chilly temperatures as a winter storm covers the region.

The winter weather could last through Wednesday. Some areas could see as much as 10 inches of snow with a foot or more falling in the higher elevations. Later in the week, temperatures are forecast to plunge to record-setting lows, affecting people from the Midwest to the East Coast.

BLOOD COLLECTIONS AFFECTED, PLEASE GIVE BLOOD The severe winter weather across much of the U.S. over the last four days has forced the cancellation of critical blood drives, causing more than a thousand lifesaving blood donations to go uncollected. With more severe weather forecast for later this week, more blood donations could be at risk. Types O positive, O negative and B negative blood donors are especially needed now. Where it is safe to do so, the Red Cross encourages people to schedule a blood donation appointment by using the Red Cross Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

WINTER SAFETY Winter weather brings its own set of hazards and the Red Cross offers the following safety steps to help keep people safe:

• Stay warm indoors. If your home becomes too cold, go to a public library, shopping mall or warming center.
• Use care with space heaters and fireplaces to prevent fires. Keep anything that could catch fire at least 3 feet from the heat. Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Use battery-powered lights and flashlights instead of candles to prevent fires.
• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, don’t use an oven to heat your home.
• Carbon monoxide kills. If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak, get to fresh air right away.
• If you must go outside, wear layers of loose clothing, a coat, hat, mittens and water-resistant boots. Use a scarf to cover your face and mouth.
• Check on loved ones and neighbors to make sure they are staying warm, particularly if they are older or live alone.
• Be careful walking on snow or ice and avoid overexertion when shoveling snow. If possible, work with a partner and take frequent breaks.
• Stay off the roads when possible. If you become stranded, stay in the vehicle and wait for help.

Stay warm to avoid frostbite and hypothermia. Your nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers and toes are often the first areas affected.

• Signs of frostbite include pain, numbness or a change in skin color.
• Signs of hypothermia, which can be deadly, often include shivering, confusion,drowsiness and slurred  speech.
• Act fast and get out of the cold immediately if you see signs of hypothermia or frostbite.
• Get emergency medical care right away.

FROZEN PIPES Pipes that freeze most frequently are those exposed to severe cold, like outdoor lines, pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets, and pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation. Follow these steps to help prevent your pipes from freezing:

• Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs.
• Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces.
• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
• Let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

Find more winter safety resources here.