HealthyLife Articles

Tag: storm

  • Stranded In A Storm?

    WELL-BEING

    Image of young women looking out the car window.

    Whether you’re stuck in your car or at home or elsewhere, know how to extend your cell phone’s battery life, advises the Auto Club Group.

    In an emergency, do this:

    *  Turn the phone off. Only turn it on when you are expecting or making a call.

    *  If you’re in an area with no reception, turn off the phone to prevent it from constantly searching for service. Even with automatic power-save features, this function can take up to 30 minutes and it is depleting your battery.

    *  Limit use of the vibrate function on your phone. Use a ring tone because it uses less of the battery’s power.

    *  Don’t use extra features such as the Internet, WiFi, GPS, a camera, and a hands-free device.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Stranded In Your Car During A Winter Storm?

    WELL-BEING

    Image of an older Asian couple stretching.

    A fast-moving winter storm could strand you in your car. The cold can lead to hypothermia and frostbite until you’re rescued.

    A charged cell phone can be your lifeline for first responders, but until help arrives, Amica Insurance with advice from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers these tips to help keep you safe if you’re stuck in a winter storm:

    *  Always stay in your vehicle. You will become disoriented quickly in wind-driven snow and cold temperatures.

    *  Run the engine for about 10 minutes every hour to provide heat. However, be sure to slightly open a window to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

    *  Turn on the dome light at night when running the engine.

    *  After the snow stops, open the hood of your vehicle to indicate that you need assistance.

    *  Tie a colored cloth – preferably red – to your door or antenna.

    *  Be sure to move your arms, legs, fingers and toes to keep blood circulating.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • When The Wind Blows

    WELL-BEING

    Image of emergency items, such as flash lights.

    When a winter blizzard (or any natural disaster) leaves you without power, are you prepared to weather the storm?

    Know these facts from the University of Nebraska Extension service:

    *  Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. Once the power goes off, the refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it’s unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it’s half full) if the door remains closed.

    *  Keep an insulated cooler on hand and gel packs or water-filled and frozen milk cartons in the freezer to cool perishable items. Outside sub-freezing temps will also preserve frozen food if the power stays out for days.

    Stock one gallon of drinking water per person per day. Also stock up on staples that don’t need to be refrigerated such as canned foods (and a hand-held can opener), soups, dried or smoked meats, dried fruits and vegetables, powdered or evaporated milk, peanut butter, trail mix, granola bars, pet food, and ready-to-eat cereals.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine