GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)-Frigid winter weather is back in Northeast Wisconsin.
Since it will stay around for a while local experts want to provide tips to Wisconsinites on how to stay safe and warm if they must go outside over the next few days.
“Even though we’re Wisconsinites and we’re tough even we can be affected by the cold weather,” said Lieutenant Shauna Walesh with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department.
Walesh offered a number of tips on how to spot signs of hypothermia and frostbite and the difference between the two cold-induced injuries. She said hypothermia impacts the entire body while frostbite impacts certain parts of the body like the fingers, toes, face, or nose.
She said signs of hypothermia include confusion, slurred speech, and memory loss. If you see somebody who is suffering from hypothermia she said to seek medical care immediately. Older adults and young children are more susceptible to hypothermia.
For a full rundown on hypothermia, click here.
White, gray, or yellow-tinted skin is a sign of frostbite. If you or somebody else has frostbite, get the person into a warm room and put the impacted part of the body in warm but not hot water.
“Try to bundle up, try to keep all exposed areas covered up, if you don’t normally wear a scarf wear a scarf today,” said Walesh.
Local homeless shelters and warming centers are also prepared for an influx of people needing their services.
“When the weather turns cold we see a lot more people reaching out and we try to be as creative as possible with the limited resources that we have,” said Lisa Strandberg, the Executive Director of Pillars in Appleton.
Strandberg said their shelters are at capacity throughout the year, but during the winter finding those creative ways to accommodate as many people as possible becomes a matter of life or death.
She said she’s happy to report that Pillars has reduced their wait lists for their shelters since last month.
The Greater Green Bay Salvation Army offers a warming center at their facility during their regular business hours whenever the feels-like temperature dips below zero. Regular business hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Salvation Army of the Fox Cities also lets people hang out at their facility during normal business hours if they need to stay warm anytime this winter.
“We don’t want to see anybody out in this cold, nobody deserves to be out in this cold without a home,” said Kristal Knudtson with the Salvation Army of the Fox Cities.
Knudtson said that the Salvation Army of the Fox Cities will also offer clients a warm cup of coffee, lunch, and winter gear like coats and hats if they need it. She said they can also help connect people to additional resources that they may need.
