Stay safe as chilly temperatures are in the forecast for Contra Costa County.
Take steps now to protect people, pets, plants, and pipes from the cold:
• People: Wear layers, limit time outdoors, and check heaters in advance.
• Pets: Bring pets indoors at night and provide them with plenty of warmth.
• Plants: Cover or bring sensitive plants indoors.
• Pipes: Wrap/cover exposed outdoor pipes to prevent freezing.
Recognize the symptoms of cold weather exposure:
• Confusion, dizziness, exhaustion and shivering are signs of possible hypothermia. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.
• Gray, white or yellow skin discoloration, numbness or waxy skin are symptoms of frostbite. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
• In the case of overexposure to freezing temperatures, remove wet clothing and immediately warm the body with a blanket or warm fluids like hot cider or soup.
Stay safe on roadways and beware of black ice, which can form on roads during frigid temperatures.
Here are more tips to stay safe from cold weather: https://cchealth.org/cold-weather/.
Need help and resources? Call 211, text "HOPE" to 20121 or visit https://www.crisis-center.org/.
Here are safety tips to stay safe and warm from PG&E: https://www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com/articles/41-stay-warm-safe-winter
Register to get emergency alerts via cell phone, email, and landline with the Contra Costa County Community Warning System at https://cwsalerts.com/. On this website, click on "Know Your Zone" to learn in advance what evacuation zone you're in.
Follow us on Twitter at @CCCounty www.twitter.com/cccounty for more updates (you can see posts without a login).