According to the National Weather Service, today is the final day of the brutal cold spell we’ve all experienced in Guthrie County over the past few days.  High temperatures are supposed to sneak up into the twenties and even thirties by this weekend.

However, we’re still just in early January, and there is much more cold to be endured in the months ahead. Given the record-low temperatures in recent days, Adair & Guthrie Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf would like to help residents identify some of the symptoms of a couple illnesses that often emerge as a result of the cold: frostbite and hypothermia.

Kempf says frostbite is “the freezing of the water molecules within your skin,” and in temperatures like we’ve seen lately, this can happen quicker than you might think.  Kempf explains the symptoms of frostbite and how to handle it:

“The symptoms can be the loss of feeling or a white/pale appearance in your fingers, your toes, your nose, your earlobes… things like that.  One of the things that is really important is not to rub that frostbite.  Take time to let it warm up with air… warm water on it or a warm rag will help most of the time.”

As for hypothermia, that is brought on when your body’s temperature drops below 90 degrees according to Kempf.  Symptoms include uncontrollable shivering, slow speech and drowsiness.  Kempf explains how to properly get somebody with such symptoms warm.

“Make sure that you’re warming up the central core of their body first–the trunk, around the chest.  If you’ve got heating pads, put those in their groin area and up underneath their arms.  Put them in a blanket, wrap their entire body to help keep that (heat) in.”

Kempf says anyone who is unable to overcome symptoms of frostbite or hypothermia on their own should immediately go to the hospital.  If not treated promptly, either condition can result in serious bodily harm.