Safety guidelines for residents ahead of cold weather

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today shared a set of tips and guidelines for residents ahead of Boston's upcoming cold weather. This afternoon, rain will mix with snow and is expected to end between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m, with no accumulation expected on roads. Temperatures will drop drastically overnight and tomorrow temperatures are expected to be between 19 degrees and 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Wind gusts are expected to range from 13 to 17 miles per hour, making it feel between 4 and 17 degrees Fahrenheit. 

"Boston is a city of neighborhoods, and in cold weather like this, we ask all residents to help make Boston a city of good neighbors," said Mayor Walsh. "Please be safe, check on your neighbors and older residents, and watch for vulnerable people in need. We're asking everyone to follow our guidelines this winter to stay safe." 

Mayor Walsh asks all residents to take precautions and exercise care during the low temperatures. He encourages residents to check on neighbors who are older residents or those with disabilities; be mindful of homeless individuals who may need assistance; and practice caution with space heaters. Homelessness services are also available on Boston.gov.

For emergency alerts, including cold-weather alerts, residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert Boston. For questions or additional information, call the City's resident services hotline, 311, or visit the City's website. Follow the City on Twitter for additional information and safety tips: @CityofBoston.

Key safety tips include:

Dress for the weather:

• Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing.
• Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent.
• Wear mittens over gloves; layering works for your hands as well.
• Always wear a hat and cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.  
• Dress children warmly and set reasonable time limits on outdoor play.
• Restrict infants' outdoor exposure when it is colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Watch for signs of frostbite:

• These include loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose.
• If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately.

Watch for signs of hypothermia:

• These include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion.
• If you or someone you know shows any of these symptoms, get in touch with a healthcare provider immediately. If symptoms are severe, call 911.

• Never try to heat your home using a charcoal or gas grill, the kitchen stove, or other product not specifically designed as a heater. These can cause a fire or produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide very quickly. Using faulty or improper heating sources is the number two cause of home fires in Massachusetts.
• Have your heating system cleaned and checked annually.
• Install and maintain smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible gas produced whenever any fuel is burned. Common sources include oil or gas furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, stoves, and some space heaters. It has no smell, taste, or color. It is a poison and is deadly.

• If you see homeless and vulnerable individuals out in the cold who appear immobile, disoriented, underdressed for the cold, or in some other form of distress, please call 911.
• During extreme cold weather, street outreach teams operate with extended hours and provide mobile outreach vans on the streets in the evening and throughout the day. Pine Street Inn Street Outreach Vans will be out early this afternoon from 3 - 6 p.m. before the onset of the deepest cold, and will continue throughout the night and all day on Wednesday.
• The City coordinates a city-wide network of emergency shelters, outreach providers, city agencies and first responders to assist those in need of shelter. Boston's emergency shelters are open 24 hours and will accept any person in need. In addition to the Pine Street Inn, men can access shelter at the 112 Southampton Street Shelter, and women should go to the Woods-Mullen Shelter at 794 Massachusetts Ave. Winter overflow beds will open tonight to accommodate any person in need of shelter, and the Boston Rescue Mission is adding extra beds for women. 
• Day centers for homeless individuals will be available at Rosie's Place, The Women's Lunch Place, St. Francis House, The Cardinal Medeiros Center (for older homeless persons) and Bridge Over Troubled Waters. 
• The heated structure at Engagement Center on Atkinson Street will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for people looking to come in out of the cold, and the PAATHS programs will be open and referring people to substance use treatment.

• In accordance with the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code, the heating season officially begins on September 15 and runs through June 15. Property owners must heat habitable spaces at a minimum temperature of 68° between 7 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and 64° between 11:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m.
• In case of emergency, property owners are encouraged to keep a list of licensed contractors (electrician, plumber and general contractor) on file. Tenants experiencing problems with their heating system should check the thermostat, ensure the dial is turned on, and report insufficient or no heat problems to the property owner or manager immediately.
• If your landlord or property manager is unresponsive, contact the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) at (617) 635-5300 to file a complaint, or call 311.  

• The Boston Water and Sewer Commission recommends that during the upcoming cold snap homeowners remember the words locate, insulate, and circulate.
• Locate a home's main water shut off valve, and learn how to use it. Should a frozen pipe burst, shutting the main valve quickly will minimize flooding and property damage.
• Insulate pipes in unheated areas like basements, garages and crawl spaces. Use inexpensive hardware store materials to prevent pipes from freezing and to keep warm water flowing.
• Circulate warm air around pipes by keeping cabinet doors open. Circulate a trickle of tap water through pipes during extreme cold to help prevent them freezing up.
• Locate your water meter, protect it from drafts, and make sure basement doors and windows are shut tight.
• If pipes do freeze, slow thaw with a hair dryer. If water is lost in all taps, call BWSC 24-hour Emergency Assistance Line at 617-989-7000.     

• Disconnect water hose from the home.
• Wrap or cover exposed spigots.
• Caulk or putty windows.
• Ensure kitchen and bathroom dampers close properly.
• Close all storm windows and doors.
• Apply weather stripping.
• Properly insulate all pipes that are exposed.
• Cover vents.
• Install insulated or heavy drapes to keep cold drafts from coming in.
• Don't forget to close the damper to wood burning fireplace after each use. Consider a chimney balloon if you don't have a damper.
• For more energy efficiency tips for your home, call Renew Boston at 617-635-SAVE (7283).

• Income eligible homeowners and Boston's residents over age 60 can receive assistance with winter emergencies and repairs, such as fixing storm damage, leaking roofs, furnaces and leaking/frozen pipes. For assistance, residents should call the Mayor's hotline at 311 or the Boston Home Center at 617-635-HOME (4663).   
• A grant up to $5,000 is available for income eligible homeowners over age 60 to ease unexpected financial burdens caused by an emergency situation with their home.
• In addition, the Mayor's Seniors Save program helps income eligible Bostonians over the age of 60 replace old, inefficient heating systems with a new brand new heating system even before a catastrophic failure occurs during the cold winter months. Older adults can also call 311 or the Boston Home Center at (617) 635-HOME (4663) to be connected with a City staffer to provide additional details.

• The City of Boston Office of Emergency Management (OEM) remains in constant contact with the National Weather Service to receive detailed forecasts for the City of Boston. It also ensures each City department has a plan in place to handle the forecast. If the storm warrants, the City's Emergency Operations Center will be activated and City representatives will coordinate response and recovery efforts.
• Residents who sign up for notifications will receive a message from the City about winter storms and extreme cold weather. This notification system also alerts residents when a snow emergency/parking ban is in effect and when it is being lifted.