Snow Day Safety
Submitted by Dr. Gwenn Is In Blog
I was stunned when I saw my town’s name on the school cancellation list last night! We are typically the last hold out in Massachusetts in Metrowest. But, the last Nor’Easter was a disaster with school being let out during the heaviest of the downfall so no one was taking any chances. Of course, the risk the school systems run canceling school before the storm is the chance the storm will change course. That has happened before and we’ve had snow days with out snow!
Not today. I woke up to 5 inches of snow and it is still coming down an inch an hour. Canceling school was a good call. Once all our kids are awake and the morning further along, it won’t take long for many to want to venture outside to play and explore. This snow is the perfect snow for snow people, snow forts, and snow sports - heavy wet and sticking to the ground.
Before you toss all your kids outside, it is very important you pause and make sure the are all dressed appropriately and you have a sense of how long it is safe for them to be outside. This is where wind chill comes in. Most weather channels do post the wind chill temperatures on their channels and websites but what is important to you is how long your child can stay out side at those temperatures.
You’ll find an easy to read wind chill chart and all the details you need to know to keep your kids safe in the cold at A Dose of Dr. Gwenn.
Finally, ski season is here and I’ve already seen a number of ski injuries in Urgent care when I’ve been working. I often wonder how many of these injuries occurred because either the child or another person was moving too fast. This is becoming a major problem on ski slopes and courses around the globe. For my family, it makes what should be a fun and spirited outing very stressful. One of my daughters has announced she doesn’t even want to bother skiing this year and one of her reasons is she doesn’t want to get run into by someone else out of control.
Luckily, for my daughter and the rest of us, many ski slopes are “cracking down on speeding skiers”. Radar guns, speeding tickets, and getting kicked off the slopes are hopefully the wave of the futures. My concern is not just speed but courtesy. That hast to improve, too. People have to remember that the slopes are for everyone and be mindful of that. In honor of National Safety Awareness Week and with ski vacations abound, here are some useful links to keep you safe on the slopes:
Skiers Responsibility Code
Snowlink: guide to gear by level of ability
Worldwide Ski Resort Database
Ski Resort Program Guide (i.e. what resorts have to offer)
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