The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Monday, December 31, 2018 04:29 PM

Dangerously Cold Temps Putting East TN At Risk - Bundle Up, And Be Safe!

 After several days of below-freezing temperatures, firefighters considered the weather "dangerously cold."

Christy Wynn captured this photo in Sevier County and warned people to be safe as drivers were sliding off the road.

Knoxville Fire Department Captain DJ Corcoran said it can be harmful in several different ways.

He said, New Year's Day was a busy time for firefighters because families could run into more distractions.

"It's a busy time of year for families so a lot of times there's cooking fires, Christmas tree fires, things like that. Cooking fires is when people are preoccupied; they've got too much going on. They have a phone call and step away from a hot stove," he gave as an example.

Christmas tree fires were also given as an example because, in early January, trees die and turn dry.

"After the holidays, people will leave those trees up and they become really dry and brittle," said Corcoran. "They're subject to fire so we see Christmas tree fires after the holidays when people don't take them down in time."

He insisted to never place a dry Christmas tree or anything flammable around any kind of space heater.

To save a few bucks and keep the temperature down, he said some might to resort to kerosene heaters. He warned though, to follow the guidelines carefully.

"Sometimes your electric bill, people will do a kerosene heater to offset that. Just follow the recommended guidelines from the manufacturer on those kerosene heaters," said Corcoran. "Make sure you have cross-ventilation because you're subject to carbon monoxide poisoning from those. Make sure if you're refueling, you're using kerosene fuel and not gasoline."

We also have a list of ways to keep your heating bill down.

These temperatures can also be dangerous if you're outside for too long. Some might think the solution is to run your hands and feet under some hot water, but Corcoran said, guess again.

"You can lose feeling when it gets cold like that. What it is is your body, the veins, arteries are kind of restricting and when it gets cold your survival is taking care of your core. A lot of times you'll start losing circulation to your fingers and toes."

He said, when you start losing feeling in your fingers and toes, it's time to come in and gradually bring your body back up to its normal temperature.

That's what firefighters also have to do when they're in the field during these cold months. If it's below freezing, the water they bring around isn't just frigid, it's hazardous.

"Anytime that there's cold weather like that, and we have a fire, there's slipping hazards from ice on the road and then the logistics division will send a bus to rehab the folks," he explained. "To (give crews) a warm place to recirculate and come in from out of the cold so it's kind of like a base, a warm base.

For everyone involved, Corcoran urged folks to be attentive to hot working surfaces and heaters to keep from having fires like the examples given.