Our local Dairy Queen was closed today. Not because it ran out of soft-serve. Rather, the electronic sign outside the establishment scrolled: “CLOSED due to EXTREME COLD!” Not something you see everyday. Then again, our below zero temperatures (way below—windchills here have been around 45 below zero) are not something you experience every day either.
Less than two weeks ago my daughter and I were in Hawaii baking in 84 degree tropical weather. This morning we woke up in Wisconsin where the temperature was –10. (A difference of nearly 95 degrees… but who’s counting). The Dairy Queen, the YWCA, the YMCA, some malls, and more than 600 schools in our state shut down because of the frigid temperatures. The school and business closures have made headlines around here, but so has some disturbing news about what can happen when homeowners try to to heat their houses using alternative means.
I don’t think a single parent in our neighborhood hasn’t commented about the news of two young local girls who died when a fire destroyed their rural trailer home Monday night. According to police reports, an 11-year-old girl and her 10-year-old sister were left home alone while their mother went to work at an area gas station. Shortly after the girls fell asleep a fire ripped through the home and burned it to the ground. Firefighters told local reporters that when they arrived the trees around the home were burning 40 feet into the air. Investigators say the most likely cause of the fire was a wood-burning stove in the basement, used to heat the house.
Unfortunately, that fire is just the latest in a string of blazes, which have ignited during our recent cold snap. All tolled 12 homes and four barns have been damaged and 5 people have died. In addition to the fires, local firefighters say in the last three days alone they have responded to a half dozen calls for carbon monoxide poisoning.
But, firefighters say it doesn’t surprise them. Our local fire chief told a TV news reporter that every year during cold snaps they see people trying unique and dangerous ways to heat their home, including turning on the oven and leaving its door open to try to heat the house; setting up mobile floor heaters and forgetting to turn them off; boiling water in hopes that the steam will warm up the kitchen; running a scalding hot shower and using the bathroom as a sauna; and building mini-campfires in living rooms.
Obviously, none of these methods are safe or very effective. If the bitter cold hasn’t reached your neck of the woods yet, count your blessings. It means you have a few more days to prepare.
For tips on how to prepare your home for unseasonably cold weather click on the articles below:
Getting Your Home Ready For Winter-Part 1: The Furnace
What To Know Before You Light That First Fire Of The Season
More Tips For Winterizing Your Home-Windows and Doors
The Ultimate Housewarming Gift
Winterizing Your Home: 10 Ways To Lower Your Gas Bill
Tips For Winterizing Your Backyard
Caught off Guard: Winter Weather Tips