Before

• Have adequate winter clothing. Multiple layers of clothing is also useful.
• Have emergency supplies ready.

During

• Stay indoors as much as possible, minimise travel to prevent exposure to cold wind.
• Keep dry. If wet, change clothes quickly to prevent loss of body heat.
• Prefer mittens over gloves; mittens provide more warmth and insulation from cold.
• Listen to radio, watch TV, read newspapers for weather updates
• Drink hot drinks regularly.
• Don’t drink alcohol. It reduces your body temperature.
• Take care of elderly people and children.
• Store adequate water as pipes may freeze.
• Watch out for symptoms of frostbite like numbness, white or pale appearance on fingers, toes, ear lobes and the tip of the nose.
• Do not massage the frostbitten area. This can cause more damage.
• Put the areas affected by frostbite in warm — not hot — water (the temperature should be comfortable to touch for unaffected parts of the body).
• Do not ignore shivering. It is an important first sign that the body is losing heat and a signal to quickly return indoors.

In the case of hypothermia:

• Get the person into a warm place and change his/her clothes
• Warm the person’s body with skin-to-skin contact, dry layers of blankets, clothes, towels, or sheets.
• Give warm drinks to help increase body temperature. Do not give alcohol.
• Seek medical attention if the condition worsens.