As the temperature drops into the single digits this weekend, Nassau County Legislator Tom McKevitt offers these 10 cold weather safety tips listed below to help you and your family stay safe and warm all winter long:
1. Layer up! Wear layers of lightweight clothing to stay warm. Gloves and a hat will help prevent losing your body heat. 2. Bring pets indoors. If they can’t come inside, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water. 3. Always place space heaters on a level, hard surface and keep flammable items, such as paper, clothing, bedding, rugs and curtains at least three feet away. 4. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed. 5. Always use a glass or metal fire screen to catch sparks or rolling logs when using
a fireplace. 6. Run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent pipes from freezing. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. 7. Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night. 8. Never use a stove or oven to heat your home. 9. Never operate a generator inside the home, in the basement or in the garage. 10. Don’t hook a generator up to the home’s wiring.