Keep an eye out for these winter hazards

By Justin Hsieh, Staff Writer

Winter is the season of the holidays, a time of vacation, celebration, and fun. But in all the merriment and cheer, we can forget that there are a few unique hazards to our health and well-being that also present themselves during this time of the year. To make sure the fun stays fun, be sure to keep an eye out for these winter hazards.

1. Driving in Snow and Ice
   For the many winter vacations that involve traveling to somewhere with real winter weather (i.e. not Fountain Valley), driving in ice and/or snow will likely be an important part of your activities. However, both of these are considered hazardous driving conditions, and they require an additional level of precaution and vigilance to navigate in. Keep in mind the following:
   1. Ice can be hidden by shade from buildings or trees. These shaded areas are the first to freeze and last to thaw, so be especially cautious when driving through them.
   2. Keep your windows and windshields clean.
   3. Accelerate and decelerate slowly, avoid sharp or fast turns, and increase your following distance.
   4. Carry chains and know how to put them on your tires. Pull all the way to the right of the roadway when you do so.
   5. Use antifreeze. If you do not, check your temperature gauge to make sure your engine hasn’t overheated (which it may do if your radiator fluid is frozen).
2. Staying Warm
   Playing in the snow is one of the best opportunities winter vacations afford to us Californians. However, while making snow angels may be an enjoyable novelty, frostbite and hypothermia are certainly not. To make sure you stay warm in the snow and cold, keep in mind:
   1. Keep your head covered. A significant amount of heat can be lost through your head (especially when it’s the only exposed part of your body).
   2. Use gloves, warm socks and underwear, and bring hand warmers.
   3. Keep your feet dry. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air.
3. Protecting Your Skin
   Winter can wreak havoc on your skin if you aren’t prepared for or aware of it.
   1. Winter air is dry. Moisturize!
   2. A common folly when skiing, snowboarding, or just playing in the snow is forgetting to apply sunscreen. It may feel cold, but the sun is as strong as ever, and its effects are even magnified when reflected by the snow. This can lead to bad burns on your cheeks and ears.
4. Altitude sickness
   Skiing and snowboarding trips are some of the best winter vacation options out there. One thing that can spoil the trip, however, is altitude sickness. Altitude sickness occurs from rapid elevation increase and exposure to low amounts of oxygen. It can range from mildly aggravating to severe and deadly, but any level of altitude sickness is dangerous and uncomfortable. To avoid this:
   1. If possible, minimize your rate of ascent per day to allow your body to acclimate to each increase in elevation.
   2. Avoid excessive physical exertion (even tasks that may seem insignificant at sea level should be avoided if not necessary) in the first 24 hours of your arrival at altitude.
   3. Stay well hydrated.
   4. Keep an eye out for symptoms including headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or excessive fatigue. Altitude sickness can escalate rapidly to a life-threatening condition. Treatments for extreme altitude sickness can include the use of supplemental oxygen and descent to lower altitude.
5. Fire
   While in the frightful winter weather, fires can indeed be delightful, they are of course a safety hazard and should be treated with caution.
   1. Don’t leave lit candles unattended, especially where small children or pets may knock them over.
   2. Use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks from landing on a carpet.
   3. Don’t set up your live Christmas tree too close to an electrical outlet.
6. Illness
   The holiday season is a time of family and togetherness, but all of that human mingling can very well spread colds or bugs around. No one wants to be sick for the holidays.
   1. Wash your hands often, use hand sanitizer, and keep your hands out of your eyes, nose, and mouth.
   2. Keep coughing or sneezing relatives at a distance.
   3. Fist bumps are more sanitary than handshakes.
7. Christmas trees
   1. Anchor your tree securely in a corner to prevent it from falling on an infant or a pet.
   2. If you have a live Christmas tree, be sure to pick up any pine needles that may fall from it. They can puncture your pet’s intestines if ingested.
   3. If you have string lights, check the cords for chewing and fraying. They can electrocute your pet, so keep them in a safe area and use a grounded three-prong extension cord if possible.