CLEVELAND — The dangerously cold temperatures continue this week, putting countless people in immediate harm's way. And with the wind chill, it will feel even worse.
RELATED: We're dropping to levels we haven't seen in years
Wind chills are forecast below -15 degrees in some spots.
Cities across the viewing area are taking no chances, activating warming centers and sounding the alarm on how hazardous this weather can be for anyone outside.
Watch our report on those warming centers from Good Morning Cleveland.
List of warming centers:
- Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Cleveland will operate from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- 4 Cleveland recreation centers are doubling as warming centers from Sunday through Wednesday. This includes the Collinwood, Michael Zone, Lonnie Burton, and Zelma George recreation centers
- Cuyahoga Falls, Brook Park, Bay Village and Canton posted on social media that they're opening up warming centers starting Monday.
- In Akron, the Emergency Overnight Shelter on East Voris Street will run from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. through Wednesday.
According to the Lorain City Schools Facebook page, the high school will be open through Monday for those in need.
District leaders say it will act as a warming center Tuesday as well *IF* school is CLOSED due to the bitterly cold weather.
City and health officials say it’s crucial you limit your exposure.
Doctors say certain groups are more susceptible to frostbite. However, we all need to protect ourselves.
"The elderly are going to be far more prone to developing frostbite injury simply because their skin is thinner. Same thing with the other extreme of age in young children, infants and toddlers," said Dr. Anjay Khandelwal, Chief of Division of Burns/Director of Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute at Akron Children's Hospital.
Khandelwal says frostbite and hypothermia can happen FAST — within 15 minutes — so pay attention to your body and any immediate changes.
"The first indication that someone may have a frostbite injury is going to be some redness of the fingers and toes, especially kind of the more common areas. You can see it on the ears, the nose, sometimes even the tops of the cheek. But the first time is gonna be that redness along with that, you're gonna start to feel a little bit of kind of that tingling sensation, maybe some pins and needles, and that numbness," Khandelwal said.
To further protect yourself, Khandelwal says:
- Avoid alcohol, illicit substances and smoking
- Wear layers
- Change out of wet clothing immediately
- Take breaks to warm up
- And when in doubt, get to the ER
"If you have any blistering of the skin or discoloration of the skin, especially where it's turning kind of purple or dark, those are all indications to seek medical attention because they may indicate that the injury is far more severe than what can be taken, care of safely at home," Khandelwal said.
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For more safety guidelines and additional tools to protect yourself, click here: https://www.akronchildrens.org/inside/2024/01/16/how-to-avoid-losing-limbs-to-frostbite/
