Falling temps put area in deep freeze
Wed, Jan 14, 2009 
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BY BRIAN KEILEN
bkeilen@grandhaventribune.com
Temperatures are expected to fall right along with the snow in the Tri-Cities area over the next few days.
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The entire state is in a deep freeze, with subzero readings in many parts of the state and more than 8 inches of snow expected along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
According to the National Weather Service, temperatures across the state this morning ranged from 17 below at Ironwood in the Upper Peninsula to 10 in South Haven and Grand Haven. A storm passing through the area this afternoon into Thursday is expected to dump 8-12 inches of snow along the West Michigan Lakeshore.
With the severe weather, several agencies are active helping residents cope with the cold.
Gerry Dawson, emergency services director for the Ottawa County chapter of the American Red Cross, recommends residents use common sense and prepare before they go out.
"It's all about planning," she said. "It's all about preparedness."
Dawson urges people to dress in layers that make sense. Inner layers — such as sweaters and sweatshirts — should be good insulators that move moisture away from the skin, Dawson said, and the fit is extremely important.
"If it's too big, it could lose heat," she said.
Having an emergency kit with water, clothes and first aid items is also a good idea, Dawson said, and mittens keep hands warmer than gloves.
"I always keep an extra pair of mittens in my car," she said.
Finally, be aware of severe temperatures when working and playing outside, Dawson said, and take frequent warm-up breaks. Children also need to be closely monitored.
"Kids will stay outside even when it's cold," she said.
Plummeting temperatures can put pets at risk, too. According to Harbor Humane Society's Web site, more dogs are lost during the winter than any other season because it is difficult for them to find their scent. It is important to keep dog's on a leash and make sure they have ID tags on the collar.
Other tips for pets are to wipe off an animal's legs and stomach when they come in from the outside to prevent them from ingesting salt, antifreeze and other chemicals while licking their paws — and to increase a pet's food supply during the winter to keep their fur thick and healthy.
Also amidst the freezing weather, Ottawa County Emergency Management is hosting two seminars on ice jams Thursday from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. at the Grand Haven Community Center, 421 Columbus Ave. The seminars are open to the public and will provide training in the observation and reporting of ice jams, Emergency Management Director Bill Smith said.
The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety broke up ice along the Grand River's south channel last week, using an aerial fire truck and high-pressure hoses. With the colder temperatures, Grand Haven officers have been monitoring the ice about every two hours around the clock, said Capt. Rick Yonker.
"We're making sure that the water is flowing," he said, adding that the seminars will help officers identify hazardous ice conditions. "Ice jams like this don't happen very often and we want to make sure we know what we're dealing with."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
On the Net:
www.harborhumane.org
