Severe Cold & Winter Storm Safety
Hypothermia and frostbite prevention, home heating safety, and surviving being stranded in a vehicle.
Compiled from official emergency-management guidance (FEMA/Ready.gov, IFRC, WHO, national agencies) · Reviewed by the WND Editorial Team · Last reviewed:
Key action: Stay indoors during extreme cold and winter storms; if you must travel, tell someone your route and carry a winter survival kit. Never heat your home with ovens, BBQs or generators indoors — carbon monoxide kills silently.
Before the event
- Winterize: insulate pipes, service heating, check chimney/flues, install CO and smoke alarms.
- Stock food, water and medications for at least one week per household member before storms.
- Prepare backup heat safely (approved heaters with ventilation) and warm bedding.
- Vehicle winter kit: blankets, shovel, sand/traction mats, jumper cables, food, water, torch.
- Learn frostbite and hypothermia signs before the season.
During the event
- Stay indoors; if you must go out, layer clothing, cover head, face and hands, keep dry.
- Space heaters: 1 m clearance from anything flammable, on a hard surface, never unattended.
- Power outage: close off one room to heat, layer clothing and bedding, share body heat.
- Check on older neighbours and anyone with unreliable heating twice daily.
- Frostbite (numb, white/grayish, waxy skin): warm gently with body heat or warm (not hot) water; do not rub.
- Hypothermia (shivering, slurred speech, drowsiness, confusion): call emergency services, warm the core gradually with blankets and warm drinks if conscious.
- Stranded driving: stay with the vehicle, run the engine ~10 min/hour for heat with the exhaust pipe clear of snow and a window cracked, make the car visible.
After the event
- Continue CO caution while using alternative heat during grid recovery.
- Refreeze risk: black ice remains after storms; walk and drive carefully.
- Check pipes for freezing/bursts; know your water shut-off.
- Clear heavy snow from roofs where structurally risky — or hire professionals.
- Avoid overexertion shovelling snow — it triggers many heart attacks; take breaks, push don't lift.
Emergency kit checklist
- One week food and water; camp stove used ONLY with ventilation
- Blankets/sleeping bags, thermal layers, hand warmers
- CO alarm with battery backup, torch, radio
- Medications, first aid, snow shovel, rock salt/sand
- Full vehicle winter kit in the boot
Evacuation guidance
- If home heating fails in dangerous cold and no safe alternative exists, move to a warming centre or a heated household — bring medications and documents.
What NOT to do
- Do NOT use ovens, charcoal, BBQs or petrol generators indoors — carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Do NOT drink alcohol to warm up; it accelerates heat loss.
- Do NOT rub frostbitten skin or apply direct high heat.
- Do NOT leave the vehicle to walk for help in a blizzard unless a building is in sight.
- Do NOT drive through winter-storm warnings unless essential.
Children, older people and people with disabilities
- Older adults and infants lose heat fastest — maintain room temperature ≥18–20°C for them.
- Check twice daily on isolated older people; hypothermia indoors is common in cold snaps.
- People experiencing homelessness: alert local shelters/outreach services.
Pet safety
- Bring pets indoors in severe cold; outdoor animals need insulated, dry shelter and unfrozen water.
- Wipe paws after walks (salt/de-icers are toxic); knock on car bonnets — cats shelter by warm engines.
Frequently asked questions
How does carbon monoxide poisoning happen in winter storms?
Any fuel-burning device — generator, charcoal grill, camping stove, car in a closed garage — produces odourless CO. Used indoors or near air intakes during outages, it kills within hours. Use such devices outdoors ≥6 m from windows and install CO alarms.
What are the first signs of hypothermia?
Intense shivering, clumsiness, slurred speech and drowsiness. Confusion and stopping shivering are late, dangerous signs. Warm the person gradually and seek emergency care.