PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
900 AM EST MON NOV 2 2009

...THIS IS WINTER HAZARDS AWARENESS WEEK IN MICHIGAN...

THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1 THROUGH 7 HAS BEEN DECLARED
WINTER HAZARDS AWARENESS WEEK IN MICHIGAN BY GOVERNOR JENNIFER
GRANHOLM.  THE HAZARDS OF WINTER INCLUDE THE SNOW...ICE...AND SLEET
THAT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO OUR HOMES AND LEAD TO ACCIDENTS ON
OUR HIGHWAYS.  THEY ALSO INCLUDE THE BITTERLY COLD AIR AND WINDS
THAT THREATEN FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA FOR ANYONE CAUGHT
WITHOUT SHELTER. THE COLD IN MICHIGAN CAN BE DEADLY!

MICHIGAN RESIDENTS ARE ALWAYS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE COLD WEATHER
COMMON EVERY WINTER.  THE TEMPERATURES DO NOT HAVE TO PLUMMET BELOW
ZERO TO CREATE A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. ACCORDING TO THE
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH...38 PEOPLE IN MICHIGAN
DIED DUE THE EXPOSURE TO THE COLD IN 2007. THIS MAKES COLD WEATHER
THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER-RELATED KILLER IN MICHIGAN.

IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TO AVOID EXPOSURE TO COLD...
WET WEATHER FOR LENGTHY PERIODS OF TIME. AS COLDER AIR INVADES
THE STATE LATER IN THE SEASON...THE DANGERS WILL INCREASE.  ALWAYS
DRESS FOR CONDITIONS AND DO NOT STRAY TOO FAR FROM SHELTER.

LOOK FOR THE WARNING SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA SUCH AS UNCONTROLLABLE
SHIVERING...MEMORY LOSS...DISORIENTATION...INCOHERENCE...SLURRED
SPEECH...DROWSINESS...AND APPARENT EXHAUSTION.  IF MEDICAL CARE IS
NOT AVAILABLE...BEGIN WARMING THE PERSON SLOWLY...WARMING THE BODY
CORE FIRST.  GET THE PERSON INTO DRY CLOTHING...AND WRAP HIM OR HER
IN A WARM BLANKET COVERING THE HEAD AND NECK.  DO NOT WARM THE
EXTREMITIES FIRST.  THIS DRIVES THE COLD BLOOD TOWARD THE HEART AND
CAN LEAD TO HEART FAILURE.

FOR INFORMATION ON A WINTER WEATHER SURVIVAL KIT...PLEASE CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGER.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MICHIGAN
COMMITTEE FOR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS...WILL ISSUE DAILY
INFORMATIONAL STATEMENTS THIS WEEK WITH OTHER WINTER SAFETY TIPS
AND DEFINITIONS.  BROADCASTERS...PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ON
TO YOUR AUDIENCES AT EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY.
$$

 

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