Peterborough Public Health has issued the second Frostbite Alert of the season because of forecasted nightly wind chill values of -28 or lower.
Health officials say extreme cold events are a potentially significant health risk and everyone is encouraged to take precautions to stay safe.
During these cold temperatures, One Roof Community Centre is extending its hours of
service to 8:30 a.m. to noon and 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. with the to-go meal provided between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to provide daytime shelter from the cold.
In order to protect the health of people in Peterborough County and City and Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations, Peterborough Public Health advises local residents to take the following precautions:
• Check face and extremities frequently for signs of frostbite. Exposed skin can freeze in as little as 10 to 30 minutes.
• Consider re-scheduling outdoor recreational activities, especially during the evening. There is a serious risk of hypothermia and frostbite if outdoors for long periods.
• Use caution when shoveling snow especially for those that have heart, respiratory (breathing) problems or other medical conditions. Snow shoveling is strenuous and can cause an onset of heart or respiratory problems.
• Check on the elderly or people with disabilities living alone.
