According to the National Weather Service, Winter Storm Blair covered Louisville in almost 11 inches of snow. With even more expected Friday, emergency and health officials are reminding residents about the risks of illness and injury during extreme cold and precipitation.
As of Tuesday morning, UofL Health officials reported 15 patients with cold weather-related illness or injury including cold exposure.
Dr. Martin Huecker is professor of emergency medicine at U of L. He said that during winter weather, even walking must be done with caution.
“When you're out there on the ice, just have respect for it. Even if you're in a hurry, don't try to run on the ice. Just take your time,” Huecker said.
If you do slip, Huecker recommends protecting your head at all costs. He said people should try to roll into a fall and catch themselves on their side, if possible.
Shoveling snow is another example of something that, if not done properly, could be dangerous. Huecker said that so much exertion can lead to serious health events, including heart attacks.
“We call it vasoconstriction,” he said. “Your blood vessels clamp down to conserve heat. So if you're exerting yourself shoveling or or doing any kind of activity out in the cold, you constrict your vessels, which lowers blood flow. It's more stressful on the body.”
According to The American Heart Association, people at increased risk for these types of health events include older people, smokers, and those with high cholesterol or other heart related conditions.
The association recommends pushing or sweeping snow instead of shoveling and taking frequent breaks to warm up.
Black ice is also possible on roads throughout the week.
According to the National Forest Service, if you do hit a patch of black ice and begin to veer, it’s important to stay calm and don’t hit the brakes.
Instead, try to keep the steering wheel straight. If you feel the back end of your car sliding left or right, make a very gentle turn of the steering wheel in the same direction. A hard turn in the opposite direction risks skidding or spinning out.
