LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — With Wednesday’s cold temperatures, health experts and city officials are encouraging everyone to stay warm.
Nurse Practitioner at Sparrow Urgent Care and Walk-in Clinic, Megan Hohl, has a few reminders.
She recognized the fact that students on Michigan State University’s campus typically like to walk to class, a walk that could take up to 20 minutes, or even longer.
Hohl said it’s important to remember that dressing lightly is not a good idea in this weather. Instead, it’s advisable to limit as much exposure to the skin as possible.
She added that you should keep an eye out for what your friends are wearing too, to make sure you won’t have to make any trips to urgent care or the emergency room.
“If you catch it early enough, you know, where you still have a normal color or level of pale, you can get inside and you can warm up with your own body heat, or run it under warm water,” Hohl said. “But you’re still going to want to seek medical attention just to make sure it doesn’t progress.”
In addition, you’ll want to watch out for symptoms like the different colors of skin, numbness, and anything else out of the ordinary.
According to Hohl, it’s more common for people to get frostbite when the temperature is in single digits with negative wind-chills, but don’t let that fool you, she added that it can still happen with temperatures at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, there are some people who are struggling to find a warm place for the night. That’s why the City of Lansing activated its ‘Code Blue’ plan which aims to get people safe and warm.
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Officials said the policy looks to address the needs of anyone who doesn’t have a housing option.
Several warming shelters are open across the city, ready to welcome in people who need a break from the cold.
Officials will look at the potential for freezing rain, snowstorms that may exceed six inches, and in this case, temperatures that are below 25 degrees.
Operating times for the shelters may differ, by officials said there are multiple in the area and add that the program is all about touching lives as best as they can and assisting where they’re able to.
Kimberly Coleman is the Director of the City’s Human Relations and Community Services Department. She said that her department recognizes that both homelessness and individuals who are at a disadvantage are community issues.
“We don’t want anyone to lose their life or limbs due to weather. And so, this is our chance to say, ‘here we can help, let’s get you inside.'” said Coleman.
Coleman referenced the phrase that it takes ‘a village to raise a child,’ saying that helping those who are unhoused takes a whole community to lend a hand.
