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Medical experts offer warnings, advice to deal with bitter temperatures

Dr. David K. Tan, an emergency medicine physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, is seeing the impacts of cold weather after this week's temperatures.

ST. LOUIS — This week's freezing temperatures have made spending time outdoors dangerous. Medical experts are seeing these impacts and offering both warnings and advice.

“This weather really makes things a lot busier.” said Dr. David K. Tan, the EMS chief at Washington University and emergency medicine physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

Tan said the ER at Barnes is feeling the most recent blast of winter weather.

“At these temperatures, it doesn’t take too long at all, maybe just a few minutes, before even superficial frostbite can begin.”

It's what makes jobs like first responders twice as hard.

“What we’re seeing right now are a lot of slip-and-fall injuries, as well as injuries related to the cold itself," he said.

While staying indoors is the best option, Tan shared a few tips for those who must go outdoors.

“Probably less important is the bulky type clothing than the layering of clothing," he said.

Tan said hydration is another necessity most don’t think about this time of year.

“Even when it’s cold, staying well hydrated will help you maintain a normal body temperature," he said.

But before even reaching patients, Tan said first responders have extra steps to take, too.

“That includes keeping the ambulance as warm as possible, having warm blankets as much as possible and sometimes even pre-planning your route sometimes from the point of illness or injury to the ambulance itself.”

Tan is reminding everyone that first responders must protect their own practices and crews in these conditions, too.

“We always think about them as well as taking care of the patients that they serve," he said.

Tan also said all of us can help them out during these conditions.

If you see an ambulance or any form of emergency response on the road, he said to please slow down and move over.

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