Bethpage-Tribune_2010-11-14

              BnW>AOB PUBi
tribune •s I .! i;
I
Ml I.,
,ill4
jvollme 48 Number 41 329B«>adway.,Be0page,I^ini4 Soy* 14-20, 2 0 i a (516)68|
STAY WARM TO
STAY WELL THIS WINTER
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John
Venditto advises residents that keeping
warm is essential to staying well during
the winter. To keep yourself and your
family safe and healthy, he offers some
preventative measures to protect against
the chill of "Old Man Winter."
"Even the hardiest of us can be
negatively affected by dropping tem-peratures,"
Supervisor Venditto stated.
"When you're outside in cold weather,
wear several layers of loose, bulky
clothing, covered by a tightly woven,
water-resistant outer layer to provide
yourself the best possible insulation. In
extremely cold weather, protect your
extremities with gloves and extra socks.
And, since the greatest loss of body
heat is through your head, remember
what your mother told you and always
wear a hat. Incidentally, the neck is also
a place of easy heat loss, so put on a
scarf, as well. If you get wet, change
out of wet clothing as soon as possible
to prevent your body temperature from
dropping. Perspiration increases heat
loss, so always remove extra layers of
clothing whenever you feel too warm."
Supervisor Venditto went on to say
that not dressing appropriately in the
cold weather leaves a person vulnerable
to serious health-related ailments, with
infants and the elderly being especially
at risk. Two of the most common ail-ments
are hypothermia and frostbite.
"Hypothermia occurs when cold
weather causes your body temperature
to drop to sub-normal levels," the
Supervisor explained. "Signs of
hypothemiia include confusion; sleepi-ness;
slowed, slurred speech; shallow
breathing; weak pulse; slow reactions
and excess shivering. If you suspect a
person has hypothermia and emergency
help is not available right away, wrap
him or her in a warm blanket, making
sure to cover the head and neck.
"Don't think that frostbite is something
that happens only to mountain climbers
or skiers, because if weather conditions
are right, they can happen to anyone
who is exposed to intense cold for too
long. The most commonly affected
areas for frostbite are the nose, ears,
cheeks, chin, fingers and feet/toes. Mild
frostbite, sometimes called frostnip.
affects the outer skin layers and appears
as whitening of the skin and, possibly,
numbness. Usually, these symptoms
disappear as warming occurs. In
instances of severe frostbite, the skin
will appear waxy-looking with a white,
grayish-yellow or grayish-blue color.
The affected parts will have no feeling
and blisters may be present. The tissue
will feel frozen or 'wooden.' Swelling,
itching, burning and deep pain as the
area is warmed are also indications of
frostbite. In both cases, DO NOT rub
the affected area or immerse it in hot
water or use a sunlamp, radiator or
heating pad to 'thaw' the injured area.
Don't smoke, drink alcohol or take any
drugs that might inhibit blood flow.
Keep the injured area clean, especially
if there is blistering. If feet or toes are
affected, do not walk on them. Keep the
patient wann and immerse the affected
areas in warm (104 to 108 degrees
Fahrenheit) water. If normal feeling and
color do not return soon after home
treatment, call your health care
provider."
Supervisor Venditto offered some
general tips that everyone can follow
during the winter season. "Eat well-bal-anced
meals and drink warm, sweet
beverages such as cocoa or sweetened
coffee or tea to help maintain body
temperature," he said. "If you work
outdoors, or are going to be outside for
a prolonged period in the cold, eat
foods high in fat and sugar. Don't
worry about the calories...your body
needs extra calories to keep your inner
fire stoked. Don't drink alcoholic bev-erages
because they interfere with
blood circulation.
"In your home, conserve heat," the
Supervisor said. "Avoid unnecessary
opening of doors or windows. Close off
unoccupied rooms, stuff towels or rags
in cracks under doors and close
draperies or cover windows with blan-kets
at night. If you use a fireplace or
wood stove, have your chimney or flue
inspected each year. Always install a
smoke detector and carbon monoxide
detector near the area to be heated. Test
the detectors monthly, and replace bat-teries
once a year.
FAX (516)68
l^hnmneiv cvid Old Befbpage
For Over 40 Years
SO^Ce)
New York Islander Mascot "Sparky"
Visits John H. West School to
Promote the Importance of Teamwork!
The New York Islanders 'school assembly program made its way to
Bethpage and visited John H. West Elementary School Their mascot,
Sparky the Dragon, joined Islanders' in-arena hostess Dina, to make
presentations to the students about teamwork. They were assisted by a
video of our players and coaches discussing how important teamwork
is to them as a professional sports organization. These demonstrations
are held to show the children that teamwork is stronger than doing
somethirfg on your own. A group of three students work together to
dress up a student in goalie equipment, while a teacher tries by herself.
You can guess who won...the students who worked as a team! Special
thanks to Sparky and the Islanders for caring about students! '