1. When it gets cold….get smart.

2. Dress Warmly and Stay Dry! Wear: a hat, scarf or knit mask to cover face and mouth sleeves that are snug at the wrist; mittens (they are warmer than gloves) water-resistant coat and boots several layers of loose-fitting clothing. Be sure the outer layer of your clothing is tightly woven, preferably wind resistant, to reduce body-heat loss caused by wind. Wool, silk, or polypropylene inner layers of clothing will hold more body heat than cotton. Stay dry—wet clothing chills the body rapidly. Do not ignore shivering. It’s an important first sign that the body is losing heat. (Baby+Warmth=Happiness)

3. Understanding Wind Chill Wind Chill index: the temperature your body feels when the air temperature is combined with the wind speed. As the speed of the wind increases, it can carry heat away from your body much more quickly, causing skin temperature to drop. When there are high winds, serious weather-related health problems are more likely, even when temperatures are only cool.

4. Keeping Warm in Your Home not burn paper in a fireplace. Space Heater Do not place a space heater within 3 feet of anything that may catch on fire (drapes, furniture, bedding) Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water. Never leave children unattended near a space heater. Make sure that the cord of an electric space heater is not a tripping hazard but do not run the cord under carpets or rugs. Avoid using extension cords to plug in your space heater. If your space heater has a damaged electrical cord or produces sparks, do not use it.Store a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher near the area to be heated.

5. ICE Practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot Reduce speed-Stopping on ice and snow require four to 10 times more distance than stopping on dry pavement Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks.

6. Rear Wheel Skid… A skid occurs when the rear wheels lock or lose traction; this is also known as “fishtailing.”. To regain steering control: 1.Take your foot off the brake pedal if hard braking causes the rear wheels to skid. 2.Ease off the gas pedal if the rear wheels lose traction. 3.Shift to neutral (automatic) or push in the clutch pedal (standard). 4.Look down the road in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go, and be aware of the vehicle and how it is responding to your steering. 5.To regain control, steer gently in the direction you want to go 6.Once the vehicle is straight, return to a driving gear. 7.Accelerate gently. 8.Drive at a safe speed.

7. Front Wheel Skid…. Front-wheel skids are caused by hard braking, acceleration or by driving too fast for the road conditions. You can't steer when the front wheels lose traction. To regain steering control: 1.Release the brake if the front wheels skid from hard braking. 2.Ease off the gas pedal if the front wheels lose traction. 3.Shift to neutral (automatic) or push in the clutch (standard). 4.Wait for the front wheels to grip the road again. 5.Select drive (automatic) or release the clutch (standard). 6.Accelerate gently. 7.Drive at a safe speed.

8. If you get stuck… Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each (the outfit above is also called “begging for hypothermia” in Nebraska)