00:00Minneapolis is experiencing some of the coldest air of their season too, and
00:04there's more to come. Rachel Zayer is the director of the
00:08Minneapolis Emergency Management Department, and good morning. We want to
00:14know, Minnesotans, they're used to the cold, but what makes this actually a
00:18little bit dangerous? Good morning, and thanks for having me. So as you
00:24mentioned, this is going to be the coldest air of the season so far, and the
00:28danger when temperatures get this low with wind chill, we could see temps as
00:32low as 30 to 40 degrees below zero, and when you're outside and exposed skin, you
00:39can get frostbite in less than 10 minutes, so it's really important to
00:43take precautions to stay safe and warm. And how is the city protecting vulnerable
00:47populations, and what preparations are in place during these extremely cold days?
00:52Yeah, so the city of Minneapolis works with Hennepin County to offer warming
00:58stations throughout Minneapolis and the Twin Cities. While the city doesn't
01:02operate the warming centers, the county does, and there's a number of nonprofits
01:06and churches that do, such as Salvation Army and others, when temperatures drop
01:11below zero. And what weather types and emergencies actually are your teams
01:17prepared for this winter? So the most likely type of weather we have in the
01:22winter, of course, is this extreme low temperature. The city does a great job at
01:27being prepared for big snow, so Public Works Department really is out plowing
01:32when we do have the snow. But otherwise, we really just want to make sure people
01:35know best tips to be prepared when they're at home or out and about when
01:41the weather is so cold so they can stay safe. Would you be willing to share some
01:45of those tips and reminders for residents to safely endure these frigid
01:49temperatures? Absolutely. So the number one tip, of course, is just to stay inside
01:54whenever you can and limit your time outside. If you have to go outside,
01:59remember to dress in several layers and keep your clothes and shoes especially
02:04dry. Especially keep your nose, mouth, and cheeks covered. Those are the parts of
02:09your body most likely to get frostbite because people forget to cover them. If
02:14you have friends, family, especially older adults who may live alone, give them a
02:20call, check on them, make sure that they're doing okay, and ask if they need
02:23any help. Keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle. If you're going out, just be
02:30prepared. It takes a few minutes to round up a few items like a thick blanket, a
02:35bright bandana, and some food just to make sure you have those in your car in
02:39case anything goes wrong. And then I would just say important to, you know,
02:45your pets get cold too. If it's too cold for you to be outside, it's too cold for
02:49them. So don't leave your pets unattended in the car. And just like you,
02:54cats and dogs can get frostbite and hypothermia. Great tips there, Rachel Sayre,
02:59Director of the Minneapolis Emergency Management Department. Thank you so much
03:04again for joining us.
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