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NOUS44 KOHX 181124
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TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-191200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
524 AM CST WED NOV 18 2009

...IS YOUR FAMILY READY FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER?...

YESTERDAY WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WINTER STORM
WATCH AND A WINTER STORM WARNING. TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON THE
EFFECTS OF COLD AND WIND...AND ALSO DISCUSS HOW TO PREPARE YOUR
FAMILY FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER.

THE DEVASTATING ICE STORM IN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN TENNESSEE LAST
YEAR LEFT MANY PEOPLE WITHOUT POWER OR WATER FOR DAYS AND EVEN
WEEKS.  ARE YOU PREPARED IF A SIMILAR STORM WERE TO STRIKE MIDDLE
TENNESSEE THIS WINTER?

KEEP AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF BATTERIES FOR FLASHLIGHTS AND RADIOS. MAKE
SURE YOUR KEROSENE HEATERS...STOVES...AND FIREPLACES ARE WELL
VENTILATED AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE HAZARDS. CHECK YOUR
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND SMOKE DETECTORS TO ENSURE THESE ARE WORKING
PROPERLY.

A SEVERE WINTER STORM CAN CUT OFF YOUR SUPPLY OF FOOD...FUEL...POWER
...AND EVEN WATER. WHEN THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A WINTER
STORM WARNING...BE SURE YOUR PRESCRIBED MEDICINES...FOOD STOCKS...
AND FUEL SUPPLY ARE SUFFICIENT TO LAST OUT THE STORM. YOUR
SUPPLIES SHOULD INCLUDE FOOD THAT REQUIRES NO COOKING OR
REFRIGERATION IN CASE OF POWER FAILURE AND AT LEAST 3 DAYS WORTH
OF DRINKING WATER.

THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED AT NASHVILLE WAS MINUS 17 ON
JANUARY...21...1985. THIS TYPE OF BITTER COLD CAN LEAD TO FROSTBITE.
FROSTBITE CAUSES NUMBNESS AND WHITE OR BLUE TINTED SKIN AND OCCURS
MOST COMMONLY IN THE FINGERS...TOES...EARS...AND NOSE.

HYPOTHERMIA...AN ABNORMALLY LOW BODY CORE TEMPERATURE...IS
CAUSED BY PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO COLD. BODY FUNCTIONS SLOW TO A
DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVEL. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE SLURRED SPEECH...
INCOHERENCE...DROWSINESS...POOR COORDINATION...A SLOW HEART BEAT...
UNCONTROLLABLE SHIVERING OR NO SHIVERING AT ALL.

TO AVOID HYPOTHERMIA...KEEP YOUR CLOTHES DRY. WET CLOTHING LOSES
ALL INSULATING VALUE AND SHOULD BE CHANGED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

MITTENS AND A WARM HAT ARE NECESSITIES. THE BODY LOSES ABOUT 50
PERCENT OF ITS HEAT THROUGH THE HEAD...SO WHETHER YOU ARE OUTDOORS
OR INSIDE AN UNHEATED HOME...DAY OR NIGHT...A HAT WILL GO A LONG
WAY IN HELPING YOU STAY WARM.

WINTER COLD IS MORE INTENSE WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING. STRONG WINDS
CAUSE A PRONOUNCED INCREASE IN THE CHILLING EFFECT OF LOW
TEMPERATURES. WHEN THE WIND CHILL APPROACHES MINUS 20 DEGREES...
FROSTBITE CAN OCCUR IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS.

MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE READY FOR OLD MAN WINTER.

$$
31/JBW