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Winter Storms & Extreme Cold

Winter represents one of the most beautiful, yet challenging seasons in New England. The Dartmouth campus is blanketed by bitterly cold temperatures and massive amounts of snow each year. A long history of living in this climate has afforded Dartmouth the ability to manage the snow and ice. Preparations made each fall in anticipation of the winter are usually enough, but occasionally we get more snow or cold weather than is expected. To prepare for these instances there are precautions you can take to stay safe and stay warm during the winter months.

Indoor Prevention Tips & Actions:

  1. Heat Home Safely
      • Do NOT turn on the stove for heat. Use extra blankets, sleeping bags, and/or warm winter coats or other alternative heating devices.
      • Do NOT use space heaters that produce sparks or have damaged electrical cords.
      • Do NOT leave children unattended.
      • Do NOT substitute fuel types for heaters; only use specific fuel as is designed.
      • Use fireplaces, wood stoves, or other combustion heaters that are up to code, properly vented outdoors without indoor leaks. Only use dry firewood/logs.
      • Use kerosene heaters if they have proper ventilation going outside.
      • Keep all heat sources at least 3 ft. (~0.9 meters) away from flammable materials.
      • Avoid using extension cords for electric space heaters.
      • Annually service your heating system using a qualified technician.
  2. Light Home Safely
      • Use batterypowered flashlights.
      • Never leave candles unattended if sed & place away from flammable materials.
  3. Use Generators & Appliances Safely
      • Intall a cabon monoxide (CO) detector. The gas is oderless, colorless, and tasteless.
      • Position generators in an area away from any possible snow/rainfall and have them at least 20 ft. (~6.1 meters) away from any windoe, door, or vent.
  4. Conserve Heat
      • Keep as much heat in the home as possible, but make sure all heating devices are properly ventilated.
      • Avoid unnecessarily opening windows and doors.
      • Seal heat into the home by stuffing towels or rags in cracks under the door.
      • Close drapes and cover the windows with blankets at night.
  5. Ensure People Stay Warm
      • Infants
          • Dress infants in warmer lothes
          • Maintain internal warm temperatures if possible. If not, arrange temporary living arrangements elsewhere.
          • In emergencies, use your body heat to keep infants warm. Take precautions to prevent
      • Older Adults
          • regularly check internal home temperature & if home is properly heated.
  6. Keep Water Supply
      • Drip facets & taps
      • Keep temperature warm inside the house.
      • Slowly thaw pipes that freeez using hair dryer.
      • In emergencies, melt snow and bring to a rolling boil for one minutes. Boiling kills most bacteria, but chemicals in melted snow would remain.

Outdoor Prevention Tips & Actions:

  1. Dress Warm & Stay Dry
      • People should bundle up for colder weather and wear a hat, scarf/knit mask, sleeves that are snug on the wrists, mittens or warm gloves, water-resistant coats/bootsm abd several layers of loose fitting clothes.
      • Do NOT leave areas of the skin exposed to the cold & avoid getting wet.
  2. Layer Up
      • Inner Layer: wear fabrics that hold more body heat without absorbing moisture like wool, silk, or polypropylene.
      • Insulation Layer: helps retain heat by trapping air close to the body by using natural fibers like wool, goose down, or fleece.
      • Outer Layer: protects from wind, rain, and snow using tightly woven materials that are water and wind resistant to reduce body heat loss.
  3. Stay Educated
      • Know the signs of hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot.
      • Inform family and friends of travel & activities in case something happens to quickly prompt search & rescue efforts.
  4. Stay Off Ice
      • Avoid untreated sidewalks & roads if possible. Steps and walkways can be de-iced using chemical de-icing compounds or rock salt. Steps & walkways that are iced over can use sand to increase traction and reduce slipping.

For more information, go to Cold Related Illnesses | NIOSH |CDC,  Hypothermia|Winter Weather (cdc.gov) & Safety|Winter Weather (cdc.gov).