Jackson Free Press

Also see: Emergency Weather Tips on Jackpedia

[Verbatim] PEARL – MEMA has been notified by the National Weather Service that Mississippi is forecast to see the coldest temperatures of the winter season this week. Portions of north and northeastern Mississippi could remain below 32 degrees from Thursday morning through Saturday afternoon. MEMA offers the following tips for people to protect themselves from freezing temperatures:

• Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing.
• Wear mittens, they are warmer than gloves.
• Wear a hat, body heat is lost through your head.
• Know ahead of time what you should do to help elderly or disabled friends, neighbors or employees.
• Bring pets inside.
• Watch for signs of hypothermia. These include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion.

And to protect your home:

• Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.
• Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing.
• Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).
• If the pipes freeze, remove any insulation or layers of newspapers and wrap pipes in rags. Completely open all faucets and pour hot water over the pipes, starting where they were most exposed to the cold (or where the cold was most likely to penetrate).

For more information, contact MEMA External Affairs at 866-920-MEMA (6362), or visit us online at http://www.msema.org.