Staying Safe in Extreme Cold Weather

With wicked winter weather pushing wind chills as low as 40-below zero, Iowans are being warned if they don’t absolutely need to go out, to stay home. 

If you decide to brave the roads and your vehicle somehow slides into a ditch, Brian Ortner at Triple-A-Iowa offers a few suggestions on staying safe in the extreme cold.

While your life may depend on keeping the car warm, Ortner says it’s likely best if you don’t leave the engine running.

If your car won’t start in this morning’s frigid weather, your battery may have been taxed to the point it can no longer do its job.

The motor club spokesman offers one other nugget of advice for motorists during this bitter cold spell:

And there are important ways to stay safe at home too. The Manchester Fire Department is encouraging residents to make sure their CO2 detectors have working batteries. The life span of a CO2 detector is around 7 to 10 years, similar to smoke detectors – so if your CO2 detector is older than that, it’s time for a new one.

story contribution courtesy of Radio Iowa; images courtesy of NWS