When Kari Cholnoky '10 volunteered as a guide at the Special Olympics one Saturday morning this winter, she never expected that her good deed would leave her unable to move her face for the rest of the day. Temperatures had dropped to -20 degrees Fahrenheit at the Skiway and after spending the majority of the day volunteering outside, she realized that the muscles in her cheeks stuck when she smiled. Kari had gotten a mild case of frostbite.
"I wasn't until after the shift was over and we were in the patrol room taking off boots, that I realized that my cheek muscles stayed clumped up after I smiled," Cholnoky said. "They were pearly white for a while and because I kept talking and smiling they kept clumping up on my cheek bones which is not only extremely awkward looking but uncomfortable. They were pretty sore that night and the next morning."
With the weather forecast predicting snow showers and high winds over the weekend and temperatures that will surely drop below zero, the dangers of frostbite and other cold-weather related maladies like hypothermia are greatly increased.
Frostbite is damage to the skin and other tissue caused by freezing. It is caused by exposure to temperatures below freezing and is worsened by dry weather conditions. Frostbite generally occurs on the extremities of the body, or those parts of the body that are overexposed to the cold, such as the ears and the cheeks.
Given the nature of Winter Carnival, the chances of getting frostbite, or its milder form "frostnip," are increased. Alcohol use is a major contributing risk factor for frostbite as it reduces blood circulation, causing the body to cool off quickly. Combined with the fact that alcohol impairs judgment, a dangerous situation can result. A person who has been drinking may not notice how long they have been outside, how cold it is, or even realize that they have gotten frostbite.
According to College Proctor Harry Kinne, the cold weather is of major concern to Safety and Security. Students are more at risk to the dangers of winter temperatures when intoxicated.
"Alcohol and cold weather are not always the best mix. The temperatures are supposed to be down below zero this weekend and our overall goal is to have everyone come through it in a safe and secure manner," Kinne said. "The risks are a lot lower for someone who is unconscious outside during Green Key in May than for someone who passes out over Winter Carnival when it is negative twenty outside. Alcohol can actually put people into hypothermia."
Hypothermia, another of the great cold weather dangers, occurs when the temperature of the body drops below the level at which the body can perform basic metabolic functions.
Drinking alcohol can quicken the onset of hypothermia because it causes vasodilation, where the blood vessels in the body become wider, reducing blood pressure. Vasodilation increases surface blood flow, which increases heat loss when the ambient temperatures are less than body temperatures. This is especially dangerous because it provides a sensation of warmth, commonly referred to as a "liquid parka." Combined with alcohol, which decreases coordination, mobility, and decision-making capabilities, exposure to extreme cold temperatures can have fatal results.
