With the snow coming our way, folks will be outside, shoveling snow and clearing off cars.
Many of us think of “layering up” to fight the cold, but Dr. Barbara Naimoli said it’s not about how many layers you have on, but what types of clothing you’re wearing.
“Because of the snow outside, obviousy it’s wet outside, so one of the most important things is to make sure your clothes have some water resistance or water proof because as soon as you start to get wet, your skin and your body cool down quite quickly,” Naimoli said.
She added once clothing gets wets, it’s important for folks to change into dry gear as soon as possible.
“As soon as you get wet, you really should go in, get warm, change your socks, change your gloves, and you know take a break, and then go back outside and continue shovelling if you have to,” she said.
Dr. Naimoli said folks should be aware of warning signs for frostbite: numbness, tingling, and whiteness, espeically in your fingers.
And when you’re out looking for winter gear to keep warm, Spokes N Skis owner Bryan Caporuscio said a breathable, waterproof outer layer is ideal for shovelers.
“If you’re going outdoors while it’s raining or snowing, you need something that’s highly waterproof, and the customer can decide whether they want that product to be highly breathable or not,” Caporuscio said.
As for parents with active kids, he suggested getting the waterproof, breathable products with added insulation.
“You know, trying to get three layers of clothing on a child is a lot harder to do than it is for an adult, so just basically a good, base layer, first layer, and then an insulated, waterproof, breathable product is what we would recommend for a kid,” he said.
Hats and gloves are esstential for going out into the cold, as well. Caporuscio suggested ear warmers if folk want to let some extra heat escape while out working in the snow.
The most important thing for folks to remember is try to stay dry. Once your clothing gets wet, go inside as soon as you can, change your clothes, warm up a bit and relax. Then, folks can decide if they need to go back out or not.