Photo: Bob Luckey Jr./Hearst Connecticut Media
Click through for cold weather safety tips as provided by the city of Norwalk's Office of Emergency Management.
Click through for cold weather safety tips as provided by the city of Norwalk's Office of Emergency Management.
Photo: Bob Luckey Jr./Hearst Connecticut Media
Remember 2-1-1.
United Way/ Infoline 2-1-1 can be called for emergency shelters and resources across southwestern Connecticut. Read more.
(AP Photo/The Canton Repository, Bob Rossiter)
Remember 2-1-1.
United Way/ Infoline 2-1-1 can be called for emergency shelters and resources across southwestern Connecticut. Read more.
(AP Photo/The Canton Repository, Bob Rossiter)
Photo: Bob Rossiter, MBO
Exposure to cold can cause life-threatening health conditions.Limit your exposure to the cold temperatures by not going outside unless necessary.
Exposure to cold can cause life-threatening health conditions.
Limit your exposure to the cold temperatures by not going outside unless necessary.
Photo: Bob Luckey
Avoid serious conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia, by keeping warm.Wear a hat, hood, or scarf, as most heat is lost through the head. Wear layers, as they provide better insulation and warmth. Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered if you go outside.
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Avoid serious conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia, by keeping warm.
Wear a hat, hood, or scarf, as most heat is lost through the head. Wear layers, as they provide better insulation and warmth. Keep
... more
Photo: Bob Luckey Jr./Hearst Connecticut Media
Keep clothing dry; if a layer becomes wet, remove it. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.
Keep clothing dry; if a layer becomes wet, remove it.
Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.
Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN
Prevent frozen pipes.
When the weather is very cold outside, open cabinet doors to let warm air circulate around water pipes.
Prevent frozen pipes.
When the weather is very cold outside, open cabinet doors to let warm air circulate around water pipes.
Photo: Mike Kemp
Let cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing because the temperature of the water running through it is above freezing.
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Let cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing because the temperature of the water running through it is
... more
Photo: Mike Kemp /Getty Images / Tetra Images RF
Keep the thermostat set to a consistent temperature.
This helps prevent pipes from becoming frozen.
Keep the thermostat set to a consistent temperature.
This helps prevent pipes from becoming frozen.
Photo: George Frey/Getty Images
Never thaw a frozen pipe or meter with an open flame.
This could lead to a fire or cause a steam explosion.
Never thaw a frozen pipe or meter with an open flame.
This could lead to a fire or cause a steam explosion.
Photo: Paul Tessier /Getty Images
Give space heaters space.
Keep fixed and portable space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn. Turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Give space heaters space.
Keep fixed and portable space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn. Turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.
Photo: Ho
Do not use stoves and ovens to heat your residence.
Do not use stoves and ovens to heat your residence.
Photo: Express-News File Photo, San Antonio Express-News
Check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Make sure alarms and CO detectors are working properly and replace batteries as necessary.
Check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Make sure alarms and CO detectors are working properly and replace batteries as necessary.
Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle
Maintain at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle during the winter season.
Keep an emergency supply kit in your car with flashlights, hand warmers, blankets and more.
Maintain at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle during the winter season.
Keep an emergency supply kit in your car with flashlights, hand warmers, blankets and more.
Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN, AFP / Getty Images
If you lose heat, take measures to trap existing warm air, and safely stay warm until heat returns.
Insulate your home as much as possible. Hang blankets over windows and doorways and stay in a well-insulated room while power is out.
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If you lose heat, take measures to trap existing warm air, and safely stay warm until heat returns.
Insulate your home as much as possible. Hang blankets over windows and doorways and stay in a well-insulated
... more
Photo: Autumn Driscoll
If you lose heat...dress warmly.
Wear hats, scarves, gloves, and layered clothing.
If you lose heat...dress warmly.
Wear hats, scarves, gloves, and layered clothing.
Photo: Autumn Driscoll
If you lose heat, turn to the fireplace.
If you have a working fireplace, use it for heat and light, but be sure to keep the damper open for ventilation.
If you lose heat, turn to the fireplace.
If you have a working fireplace, use it for heat and light, but be sure to keep the damper open for ventilation.
Photo: Philip Newton Photo Copyright 2009
If you lose heat, eat.
Food provides your body with needed energy to produce its own heat and drinking helps your body avoid dehydration.
If you lose heat, eat.
Food provides your body with needed energy to produce its own heat and drinking helps your body avoid dehydration.
Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN
If the heat isn't restored quickly... call family and friends.
If the cold persists and your heat is not restored, call family, neighbors, or friends to see if you can stay with them.
If the heat isn't restored quickly... call family and friends.
If the cold persists and your heat is not restored, call family, neighbors, or friends to see if you can stay with them.
Photo: Paul Buckowski
Residents encouraged to take precautions in frigid weather
NORWALK — With temperatures predicted to be in the upper teens to mid 20s this week-and single digits at night-Norwalk Fire Department, Office of Emergency Management urges residents to take precautions to stay safe during the frigid weather.
Residents that need warming assistance can go to the Main and South Norwalk libraries which are the main warming centers in Norwalk. United Way/ Infoline 2-1-1 can be called for emergency shelters and resources in Norwalk and across the region.
The prolonged cold weather will incrementally increase the potential for frozen/burst pipes, space heating related accidents, and other cold weather impacts., said Michele DeLuca, OEM deputy director.
DeLuca offered the cold weather safety tips outlined in the gallery at the top of this story. See slideshow above for details.
For more information and safety tips, visit http://www.facebook.com/NorwalkOEM or follow the Office of Emergency Management on Twitter: @Norwalk_OEM