Going out in extreme cold weather is something everyone needs to take seriously, according to Dr. Dan Cole, medical director of UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine — Second Avenue North.

“It’s not something to play with,” Cole said. “It’s not a game. It’s not cool to go out without clothing. Hats are a big thing. You lose a lot of body heat out of the head and extremities pretty fast. Being well-layered and having coverage on your head and avoidance of the wind is important.”

Frostbite, hypothermia and falls are three primary concerns during cold weather, Cole said.

“The skin can be affected in five minutes when it’s 20 to 30 below,”Cole said. “If it’s extremely cold, you can end up having parts of digits amputated. You really don’t want to be exposed to the cold for too long if you can avoid it.”

Hypothermia can set in from being exposed to the cold.

“Normal temp is 98.6 and that goes down pretty fast if you are out there long,” Cole said. “It can affect cardiovascular functions. You get can confused and make bad decisions if you get cold.”

Cole said he encourages everyone to stay home if they can and avoid bad roads if they need to leave the house.

“I worry about people in car accidents because I can’t think of anything worse than sitting in a ditch with no heat,” he said. “If it takes five minutes to get frostbite you will end up with frostbite from just sitting in a car.”

Falls can also have severe consequences.

“If you are older, falling can be the start of a downward spiral,” Cole said. “We see a number of cases that become fatalities after a fall.”

American Red Cross Serving Greater Iowa offers these tips to stay safe during cold weather:

• Wear layers of lightweight clothing to stay warm. Gloves and a hat will help prevent losing body heat.

• Know the signs of hypothermia — confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and severe shivering. If someone has these symptoms, they should get immediate medical attention.

• Watch for symptoms of frostbite, including numbness, flushed gray, white, blue or yellow skin discoloration, numbness or waxy feeling skin.

• Bring the pets indoors. If that’s not possible, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.

• Avoid frozen pipes — run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent them from freezing. Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night to help avoid freezing pipes.

• Do not use a stove or oven to heat the home.

• Space heaters should sit on a level, hard surface and anything flammable should be kept at least three feet away.

• If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

• Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.

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