Minneapolis experiencing dangerously frigid conditions

AccuWeather

Bitter cold weather is expected in Minnesota this week. Minneapolis officials prepare for the extreme cold, which could put people at risk for frostbite and even hypothermia in the most vulnerable.

Transcript

00:00Minneapolis is experiencing some of the coldest air of their season too, and

00:04there's more to come. Rachel Zayer is the director of the

00:08Minneapolis Emergency Management Department, and good morning. We want to

00:14know, Minnesotans, they're used to the cold, but what makes this actually a

00:18little bit dangerous? Good morning, and thanks for having me. So as you

00:24mentioned, this is going to be the coldest air of the season so far, and the

00:28danger when temperatures get this low with wind chill, we could see temps as

00:32low as 30 to 40 degrees below zero, and when you're outside and exposed skin, you

00:39can get frostbite in less than 10 minutes, so it's really important to

00:43take precautions to stay safe and warm. And how is the city protecting vulnerable

00:47populations, and what preparations are in place during these extremely cold days?

00:52Yeah, so the city of Minneapolis works with Hennepin County to offer warming

00:58stations throughout Minneapolis and the Twin Cities. While the city doesn't

01:02operate the warming centers, the county does, and there's a number of nonprofits

01:06and churches that do, such as Salvation Army and others, when temperatures drop

01:11below zero. And what weather types and emergencies actually are your teams

01:17prepared for this winter? So the most likely type of weather we have in the

01:22winter, of course, is this extreme low temperature. The city does a great job at

01:27being prepared for big snow, so Public Works Department really is out plowing

01:32when we do have the snow. But otherwise, we really just want to make sure people

01:35know best tips to be prepared when they're at home or out and about when

01:41the weather is so cold so they can stay safe. Would you be willing to share some

01:45of those tips and reminders for residents to safely endure these frigid

01:49temperatures? Absolutely. So the number one tip, of course, is just to stay inside

01:54whenever you can and limit your time outside. If you have to go outside,

01:59remember to dress in several layers and keep your clothes and shoes especially

02:04dry. Especially keep your nose, mouth, and cheeks covered. Those are the parts of

02:09your body most likely to get frostbite because people forget to cover them. If

02:14you have friends, family, especially older adults who may live alone, give them a

02:20call, check on them, make sure that they're doing okay, and ask if they need

02:23any help. Keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle. If you're going out, just be

02:30prepared. It takes a few minutes to round up a few items like a thick blanket, a

02:35bright bandana, and some food just to make sure you have those in your car in

02:39case anything goes wrong. And then I would just say important to, you know,

02:45your pets get cold too. If it's too cold for you to be outside, it's too cold for

02:49them. So don't leave your pets unattended in the car. And just like you,

02:54cats and dogs can get frostbite and hypothermia. Great tips there, Rachel Sayre,

02:59Director of the Minneapolis Emergency Management Department. Thank you so much

03:04again for joining us.

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