The National Weather Service in Louisville has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for all of Central Kentucky, in effect from noon Thursday to 7 p.m. Friday. Wintry precipitation may result in some ice accumulation that will then be covered with some snow, all with frigid air pushing wind chill values below zero.
Baptist Health Hardin is reminding residents to bundle up when going out into frigid conditions in order to avoid conditions such as frostbite and hypothermia.
Dr. Peter Popovich works in the emergency department at Baptist Health Hardin. He says the three groups of people most at risk for frostbite and hypothermia are:
“Children,” Popovich says. “Part of that is because they have a higher body surface area, so more of their body surface is exposed to the cold elements. The elderly; a lot of times their blood supply, their vascular supplies to their extremities are not as efficient and subsequently they can be more affected by it. And then people that work in the cold.”
Popovich says the best way to prevent exposure is avoiding exposure altogether. If you must go out in subzero conditions, try not to be out for more than 15 minutes, and dress warmly in layers, paying particular attention to limbs and the face.
Pay attention to the signs of frostbite to avoid severe tissue damage.
“Discoloration of, usually, the digits,” Popovich says. “Your fingers, your toes, things along those lines, but it can be your nose or ears or other exposed area. Any initial red discoloration or eventually blue or a pale discoloration, but also numbness and severe pain, and in severe cases you lose any pain sensation.”
If somebody is showing signs of frostbite, get them out of the cold as soon as possible. Get the person out of wet clothing and gradually warm the body. Seek medical attention right away.
As the area prepares for another round of frigid conditions, warming centers are available for those in need of shelter.
Any citizen who is displaced and in need of assistance should contact one of the following phone numbers:
-City of Elizabethtown residents may call 270-765-4125
-City of Radcliff residents may call 270-351-4477
-City of Vine Grove residents may call 270-877-2252
Any Hardin County resident who resides outside of a municipality’s city limits may contact the police department for the city closest to them.
