Warming Centers Schedule for Extreme Cold Event

Dec. 22 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Due to the blizzard conditions expected, the City of Dubuque has established warming centers for Thursday, Dec. 22, and Friday, Dec. 23:

Carnegie-Stout Public Library, 360 W. 11^th St.
Thursday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Multicultural Family Center, 1157 Central Ave.
Thursday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Salvation Army, 1099 Iowa St.
Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

To protect your health when temperatures are extremely low and winds are high, dress in layers:

Inner Layer: Wear fabrics that will hold more body heat and don’t absorb moisture. Wool, silk, or polypropylene will hold more body heat than cotton.
Insulation Layer: An insulation layer will help you retain heat by trapping air close to your body. Natural fibers, like wool, goose down, or a fleece work best.
Outer Layer: The outermost layer helps protect you from wind, rain, and snow. It should be tightly woven, and preferably water and wind resistant, to reduce loss of body heat.

Additional Tips:

Stay dry—wet clothing chills the body quickly.
Excessive sweating will cause your body to lose more heat, so remove extra layers of clothing whenever you feel too warm.
Avoid getting gasoline or alcohol on your skin while de-icing and fueling your car or using a snow blower. Getting these materials on your skin will cause your body to lose a lot more heat.
Do not ignore shivering—it’s an important first sign that your body is losing heat. Constant shivering is a sign that it is time to go inside.
If you have asthma, breathing in cold, dry air can trigger an asthma attack.

Finally, NEVER leave people or pets alone in a closed vehicle.

For additional excessive cold information and resources, visit www.cityofdubuque.org/coldweather.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Mary Rose Corrigan, Public Health Director
563-589-4181, mcorriga@cityofdubuque.org