As some of the coldest weather in years continues to hold the state in its icy grip, a word of caution that the bitter temps can bring real dangers. Kurt Kotenberg with the National Weather Service says while some may shrug it off as “winter happens,” this goes well beyond that.“Basically, this is the coldest air that Iowa has seen in the past 20 years, and so kind of the ‘Oh, it’s Iowa. It gets cold in January. It happens all the time?’ No, it doesn’t. This is a pretty rare event.”

The forecast for today calls for highs statewide below freezing and a wind chill warning is in effect. Dozens of schools have canceled classes today because of the extreme cold. Emergency room doctor Jeffrey Sather says when it gets this cold, frostbite becomes a real possibility and with prolonged exposure, the risk moves to hypothermia, which can lead to confusion, unconsciousness and even death. Sather says that’s why it’s vital to have a winter-survival kit in your car, with a complete change of clothes, nonperishable food and a heat source.

“Some matches, lighter, a Sterno-type fuel source (should) provide just enough heat to have someone survive overnight if they would be stranded. And you should always be prepared, especially if you live in a rural area, because you never know when that could happen. And if you’re on a rural road, even a mile is too far to have to walk if the temperatures are dropping down to very cold temperatures.”

According to the C-D-C, there are about 1,300 deaths in the U-S each year associated with exposure to excessive cold, and two-thirds of the victims are men.

(Iowa News Service)