COLUMBUS, Ohio – As much of the nation endures another day of bitter, even dangerous, cold weather, safety officials are reminding Ohioans about safety precautions.
The National Weather Service has issued another Wind Chill Advisory for central Ohio, in effect until 10:00 a.m. Friday morning with readings of -10 to -25 possible Thursday night.
Prolonged exposure to cold will use up the body’s stored energy, resulting in hypothermia, which makes the victim unable to think clearly or move well. Hypothermia is particularly dangerous because a person may not know it is happening and won’t be able to do anything about it.
An additional health concern is frostbite, which causes a loss of feeling and color in affected areas and is very similar to a burn. It most often affects extremities, like the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, or toes and can permanently damage the body, leading to amputation in severe cases.
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The cold weather this month has put a strain on supplies of propane and heating oil as pipelines have failed to keep up with demand. The spike in usage has also led to a rise in natural gas prices.
Gov. John Kasich issued a statewide energy emergency declaration over the weekend allowing truck drivers of propane and heating oil supplies to drive longer hours to bring supplies to retailers who are running low. The U.S. Department of Transportation also lifted restrictions on delivery of propane and heating fuel in 23 states from the Midwest to New England.
Officials expect homeowners without adequate heat to turn to alternate heating sources to stay warm and are warning about the safety hazards.
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In 2011, one-third of home heating fires and four out of five home heating fire deaths were attributed to improperly used space heaters, they said.
Using stoves and ovens as heat sources pose risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.