City of Dubuque Opens Warming Centers To Combat Frigid Weather
According to a press release from the City of Dubuque, due to blizzard conditions, the city has established warming centers for Today, December 22nd, and Tomorrow, Friday, December 23rd.
Locations are as follows:
Carnegie-Stout Public Library, 360 W. 11th Street; Thursday, 9am to 7pm, and Friday, 9am to 5pm
Multicultural Family Center, 1157 Central Avenue; Thursday, 9am to 6pm
Salvation Army, 1099 Iowa Street; Thursday and Friday, 9am to 4pm
Remember, to protect your health when temperatures are extremely low and winds are high, dress in layers. An Inner Layer with fabrics or materials that will hold more body heat and don’t absorb moisture. Wool, silk, or polypropylene will hold more body heat than cotton. An Insulating Layer may also be necessary. Things like long underwear add an insulation layer which will help you retain heat by trapping air closer to your body. Natural fibers, like wool, goose down, or a fleece work best. Finally, an outer layer should always be worn when braving the frigid air. This outermost layer helps protect you from wind, rain, and snow. It should be tightly woven, and preferably water and wind resistant, to reduce loss of body heat. Puffier jackets keep you even warmer by creating air space between your body and the frigid outside air.
Additional Tips:
- Stay dry—wet clothing chills the body quickly.
- Excessive sweating will cause your body to lose more heat, so remove extra layers of clothing whenever you feel too warm.
- Avoid getting gasoline or alcohol on your skin while de-icing and fueling your car or using a snow blower. Getting these materials on your skin will cause your body to lose a lot more heat.
- Do not ignore shivering—it’s an important first sign that your body is losing heat.
- Constant shivering is a sign that it is time to go inside.
- If you have asthma, breathing in cold, dry air can trigger an asthma attack.
- NEVER leave people or pets alone in a closed vehicle.
For additional excessive cold information and resources, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/coldweather.