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Winter Safety

To link directly to this toolkit from your websites, use this link: www.health.mil/WinterSafetyToolkit

The fall and winter seasons are full of safety hazards: cold, snow, and ice; heating and maintenance challenges; and seasonal décor hazards and workplace safety challenges. Taking time ahead of the cooler seasons to make sure you and your family are prepared for whatever winter brings will help you reduce your chances of illness, injury, or death from winter conditions.

Before You Start, be Safety Smart” in this year’s winter safety campaign. It provides information and advice on fire safety, driving safety, home maintenance safety, hunting safety, winter alcohol safety, emergency preparation, home decoration safety, and weather safety tips, to include signs of frostbite and hyperthermia.  

Background

“Before You Start, be Safety Smart” in this year’s winter safety campaign. It provides information and advice on fire safety, driving safety, home maintenance safety, hunting safety, winter alcohol safety, emergency preparation, home decoration safety, and weather safety tips, to include signs of frostbite and hyperthermia. The campaign runs from November to March.   

Purpose

The winter safety campaign educates beneficiaries and other stakeholders about how to prepare for and avoid hazards caused by winter weather. The purpose of this campaign is to highlight good safety practices during the winter season.

Key Messages

  • The winter season is full of safety hazards: cold, snow, and ice; home heating and maintenance challenges; and seasonal décor hazards. 
  • Taking time ahead of the winter season to make sure you and your family are prepared for whatever winter brings reduces your chances of illness, injury, or death from winter conditions. 
  • Driving during winter can be hazardous and scary, especially in snowy or icy regions. Prepare to make your trip safer and follow safe winter driving practices.  
  • Being outdoors in fall and winter can be a great way to get fresh air and exercise. For many, the cooler weather also means hunting season which can pose dangers, sending hunters to the hospital or worse.  
    • Heart attacks, injured backs and broken bones are among the most common hunting medical emergencies.
    • Don’t mix alcohol and hunting. You are more susceptible to injuries, including frostbite and hypothermia if you’ve been drinking.
  • Winter is a time to cozy up to a fireplace, furnace, or heater to keep warm as the weather turns colder. But they do present certain safety hazards. Remember these tips as the weather grows colder:
    • Have your furnace serviced.
    • Use a fireplace screen to contain sparks, and make sure fires are fully extinguished before leaving the house or going to sleep.
    • Check the batteries in your smoke alarm and change them if they are low.
    • Use space heaters with caution, and make sure they are properly vented.
  • Candles give wonderful ambience to a room but can also pose a fire hazard. Per the National Candle Association, careless candle use accounts for almost 10,000 house fires a year.
    • Never leave candles unattended.
    • Keep candles away from pets and children.
  • There are always safety risks associated with drinking alcohol, but it’s important to remember that having a few drinks during the winter months can make your body very vulnerable. 
  • Be ready for winter’s arrival. Prepare for the hazards of winter to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall. Preparing your home for the winter months keeps your family and friends safe.
  • Playing in the snow can be fun, but the fun can fade if one becomes victim to hypothermia or frostbite. Staying out in the cold for extended periods of time can cause cold-related problems and put health in jeopardy, so learn how to avoid, spot, and treat these conditions. Also, keep other vulnerable populations in mind and check on loved ones.  
  • If you work in a field and location where winter weather presents some safety concerns, you may wish to take some precautions.  Winter cold hazards include:
    • Frostbite
    • Wind-chapped skin
    • Hypothermia

Winter Safety Articles:

Approved Graphics

Download and share any of these graphics. Click on the images to download or share. Suggested social media content is provided for each image. Tailor as needed to share locally!

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