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Whit Johnson ReportingIt's freezing outside. Temperatures have dipped into the teens over the last few days. Last night police were called to assist a man suffering from exposure.
Death from exposure to the cold does not happen all the time, but it doesn't take long for your body to feel the effects of freezing temperatures.
Things like hypothermia and frostbite kick in faster than you might think.
Last night paramedics treated a man who passed out near a public heath center in South Salt Lake. His body temperature dropped to 94 degrees and he suffered from minor frostbite in some areas.
Hypothermia is simply a drop in body temperature. Paramedics say to wear layers, keep your head warm, cover your extremities and avoid getting wet.
Jennifer Ross, South Salt Lake Paramedic: "You can also have uncontrollable shivers chills. These are things you may not realize yourself because you're out in the exposure, but things that other people may notice."
The man who was treated for exposure had also been drinking at the time. He lives at the Friendship Villa Care Center and officials there say they picked him up from the hospital this afternoon and he's doing okay.
We also got a call from a man who was trying to help an elderly woman at Valley Fair Mall whose home was without heat.
If you know someone who needs help, whether its warm clothing or they can't afford to heat their home, see the Related Links section of our website.
For more information, contact the Home Energy Assistance Target (HEAT) Program at 521-6107, or the American Red Cross at 323-7000.
