Maritimers are bundling up and trying to keep warm as record-low temperatures hit the region.
“I’m very cold, I can only stay out a few minutes before I freeze I think,” says Moncton resident Kathryn Jennings.
Temperatures in Moncton plunged to -28 Celsius Thursday but it felt like almost – 40 C with the wind chill.
The temperatures have prompted health officials to warn residents about frost bite and hypothermia, saying such conditions can come on in a matter of minutes.
“Frost bite is easy because you can see it. It's basically just a localized freezing of the skin tissue, it becomes hard and waxy and white,” says Eric Beairsto of Ambulance New Brunswick.
“The best thing to do is to warm these areas up gradually, not immerse them in hot water or use hot packs, but to do it gently, using your own skin to skin contact.”
The only real way to combat the cold is to stay inside, but for those without a home, that isn’t always an option.
“For those living on the streets, sleeping in tents and that kind of thing, this can be life-threatening weather for them,” says Gillian Johnson of Moncton Reconnect.
Programs like the YMCA’s Reconnect can be crucial to the survival of those living on the streets.
“It's a warm place for people to come in during the afternoons on days like today and get a hot cup of coffee and just stay warm for a few hours and a lot of people coming in looking for help in finding housing,” says Johnson.
The Arctic air mass is expected to hang over the region for another few days, meaning Maritimers will have to continue to bundle up and limit their exposure.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
