Keeping the cold at bay safely

Whether it’s wearing several layers of clothes, hugging a hot water bottle, taking hot beverages or using a room heater, there is no shortage of ways to keep warm during the cold season.

Mr Conrad Wanyama, the Kenya Red Cross Society’s first aid and disaster management lead trainer, offers tips on the risks of some of these options.

“It is not wrong for people to try to keep warm because if they don’t, they might fall sick. I think the dilemma is how to keep warm safely,” he says.

The ongoing cold weather calls for deliberate efforts to keep warm. Below are some options.

Dressing

Wearing several layers of clothes is the most obvious way to keep warm, Mr Wanyama says. For instance, you can wear a jacket over a sweater. And if you love open shoes and sandals, you might have to put them aside and wear closed shoes or boots, which retain heat better.

Eating

During the cold season, people tend to feel hungry more often. Mr Wanyama says this is normal because the body tends to digest food faster than usual in order to generate heat.
“People should take warm food, hot tea and coffee instead cold food and drinks. This is a safe and easy strategy anyone can use to keep warm,” he says.

Heater

Sometimes wearing many layers of clothes might not be enough, so you need additional heating. And plug-in room heaters are a popular choice. But there are safety measures to consider, notably, where you place it.
“Most paints are flammable, so if you place the heater very close to a wall, and bearing in mind that most of our walls are painted, it could be a fire hazard. Secondly, do not place it near wooden furniture since these, too, could catch fire from the heat it generates,” he cautions.

Also, don’t place it on a carpet since some carpets can burn and emit highly toxic gases. Unfortunately, you might not know when you are in danger.

“When the room is warm, you tend to feel relaxed and comfortable, and are likely to drift off,” he notes, adding, “never sleep with the fan heater on since it could overheat and catch fire.”

People who live alone, the aged, alcohol and drug abusers are most at risk when using heaters, he says.

Hot water bottle

Some people boil water, put it in a bottle and hug it close to their chest. Mr Wanyama acknowledges that this is a cost-effective way of keeping warm but adds that you should wrap the bottle with a piece of cloth as a precaution.

People most at risk when using this method are the aged because of reduced sensation, Mr Wanyama says. “Someone old might think they are beginning to feel warm when, in fact, they are burning. Also at risk are people with medical conditions that reduce their perception of heat, like diabetics. Diabetes injures nerve endings in some people, reducing their ability to feel pain and heat. Young children are also at risk since it might take them long to realise that the hot water bottle is burning them.”

Charcoal burner

Charcoal burners, popularly known as jikos, are commonly used during the cold season. But while they generate heat quickly, they can kill. “If you don’t have sufficient ventilation, you can die of carbon monoxide poisoning. Generally, if the cause of a fire is charcoal, the victim will have been dead long before the fire,” says Mr Wanyama.

Many people ask why they should light a jiko to keep warm and still keep a door or window open. But Mr Wanyama says that, to be safe, leave a door or the window open to keep fresh air coming in. In addition, open all the windows and doors for a few minutes before retiring to bed, just to aerate the house. But if you can, avoid a jiko completely, he advises.

Mr Wanyama says firewood is slightly safer than charcoal, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t produce carbon monoxide, it does.

“Carbon monoxide is essentially a product of incomplete combustion. So if there is a lot of burning in the firewood, carbon monoxide can be produced. That is why we recommend that you have a well-ventilated fireplace,” he says.
The precautions are similar to those for a charcoal burner.

Hot showers

Hot showers are a great way to keep warm. However, Mr Wanyama warns, “Don’t go cheap on your instant shower; buy a high-quality one and get a professional electrician to install it.” And if your instant hot shower system stops midway, flashes a blue light or emits a smell of burnt plastic, fix or replace immediately.

Also, do not leave an immersion heater on for long periods and ensure it is switched off if your water supply has been cut because it can overheat and catch fire.