By Sarah Stone

Extreme cold dangerous for people and their pets

Dec 30, 2014 | 10:31 AM

Thankfully, the cold weather that sent many places into extreme cold warnings this week, is winding down.

CKBI’s meteorologist Henri Dagenais said the cold air from an arctic ridge and a strong surface low created the chilling drop.  That, in combination with high winds, left many places feeling like it was – 40 C.

Luckily this will only last until Tuesday night, he said

“As warm air is pushing through and the arctic ridge is moving away from us,” he said.

As of Tuesday afternoon the last of the extreme cold warnings ended in Saskatchewan.

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Lyle Karasiuk with Parkland Ambulance said at times like these it’s important to take a few precautions.

“If you don’t have to get out and you don’t have to travel please don’t,” he said.  “If you do have to travel we want to remind folks that if you haven’t already put your winter safety gear in the car, now is probably a good time.  But also think about adding additional blankets.”

He said also make sure you have enough winter gear for everyone in the vehicle because you never know when you may be stranded on the side of the road.  And it’s not just preparation that needs to be considered when it comes to safety.

“Please, first and foremost, is stay with your vehicle because you might see a farmyard close by … but you have no idea what the terrain is underneath that snow,” he said.  “Should you become injured now you, yourself, are going to be in a lot of trouble and on a cold day like it is today, it won’t take long before hypothermia sets in.”

Fortunately, he said, paramedics haven’t had to respond to any hypothermia calls yet, but it is likely with this kind of weather. On average they attend 12 to 24 calls a season related to hypothermia.

To prevent suffering from hypothermia he recommends dressing in layers, especially for those working outdoors.

“And if you start to notice white, waxy blotches on either fingers or faces, that’s a good sign of frost bite and you should probably head indoors and warm up,” he said, adding if you see someone who was outdoors and is not acting themselves, they likely have hypothermia and need to be warmed up immediately.

If they don’t improve, call paramedics, he said.

Pets feel cold too

It’s not just humans who need to be aware and cautious in these bitter temperatures, but pets as well.

According to Leanne Roberts, director of operations at the Prince Albert SPCA, dogs and cats feel the sting of winter at the same rate as people.

The only exception would be dogs that that are built for such extreme weather and have double-built coats like huskies, she said.

“With that being said they [pets] still need a place to get out of the elements off of the snow.  Obviously, insulated dog houses are important, but straw bales work just as well both for bedding and an insulating factor.  They actually work better than blankets or quilts if you do have an outdoor dog,” she explained.

In addition, something that can be overlooked is a pet’s access to water.  She suggests using a heated bowl that can be plugged in.

“People think eating snow is enough, but all eating snow does is drop their core temperature which isn’t helpful when the weather is so extreme.”

Send us photos of how you’re staying warm to news@panow.com or Tweet @princealbertnow

sstone@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahstone84