ARKANSAS, USA — Medical professionals warn people of cold injuries and illnesses as winter weather continues.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cold weather kills more than twice as many Americans as hot weather does. While many roads have been cleared of snow and ice, looming freezing rain concerns Dr. Hugh Jackson of Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas.
“We're seeing a lot more in the way of injuries and illnesses caused by the inclement weather,” Dr. Jackson said.
The emergency medical director and physician explained that this kind of weather brings falls, slips, broken bones, head injuries, sprains, and strains to their hospital system.
Dr. Jackson said the elderly, people with poor transportation, and anyone who works in the cold weather are most prone to injuries. If you do see someone fall on the ground, Jackson advises you to be careful while trying to move them.
"You probably are not aware of the extent of injuries, sometimes it's pretty obvious, a lot of times it is not," he said. "But, remember that if you were to come upon somebody who's injured, the first thing that you should do, rather than trying to get them up and out of the cold environment is to try to protect the cold from them. That is if you have some way of keeping them warm."
The medical professional adds that you should immediately call 911 so that first responders can help.
He said that anyone who must be in the cold weather, should watch out for slick spots and prepare to protect themselves from the cold.
"It's really important to do those things that will conserve heat. And that usually translates to layers, you want several layers, including some type of moisture-repellent outerwear, because ... moisture is definitely one of our biggest enemies when it comes to cold and cold-related injuries," he said.
Dr. Jackson also suggests checking on any family or neighbors who could be at high risk of injury or illness.
"Many times, we will see people that have limited family, if any. And those folks are at really high risk and they have so few resources by the time they get to us that they can be very, very ill. So when you can, please check on your neighbors, on your family," Dr. Jackson said.
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