Anxiety alert!

Parent Cafe
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<p>Ok, so some of you may have read this horrible story about the NYC couple who were trapped for a couple of days in freezing temperatures near – you guessed it! – Plattsburgh. The husband (God rest his soul) died and the wife was seriously injured. <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/29/nyregion/29crash.html?ref=nyregion[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/29/nyregion/29crash.html?ref=nyregion&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As many of you know (and are surely sick of hearing), Zoosergirl has accepted a place at Plattsburgh. We are the ultimate city people, heck, my mom’s family has lived right here since the 1690s, and we have no idea what to do about actual weather. I’m a little concerned about this familial lack of a clue, so I am hoping that some of you experts might be kind enough to offer tips for ZG to stay safe, perhaps recommend books or something, and answer me this: do colleges in areas with actual weather (laughing at myself a bit here) and, you know, wilderness (possibly even animals other than handbag dogs) offer any training/information/guidance about being safe in their specific geographical area? Is this a helicopter parent type of question?</p>

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<p>It’s wise when traveling in areas that are prone to heavy snowfalls to always carry the following in your car: a large bag of salt (for traction in case you get stuck in snow, which can even happen in mall parking lots), a shovel, blankets, an ice scraper for the windshields, a colorful scarf or something similar that one can tie to one’s antenna in case one gets stuck in the snow. It’s also wise to have nonperishable snacks like a box of granola bars and some juice packs.</p>

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<p>Zoosermom, You do realize that 90% of the people in the US believe that NYC is the most dangerous place on the planet? My cousin visited last year from Chicago, and her husband actually pleaded with her not to go into the city at all. So I can’t help seeing some irony in your post.</p>

<p>Seriously, the story is heartbreaking and shocking, and I would be worried about sending a college student to a remote area where severe weather prevails. I worry most about falling into cold water; the survival time is only a few minutes at winter temperatures. You probably have a long list of concerns about many things - I would in your place, and will in a few years when I will be in your place, with a son who is almost certainly less sensible than your daughter. My advice would be to distill the concerns into a manageable list of the most crucial, and be prepared with facts before discussing them with your daughter.</p>

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<p>NYMom, I actually think this is an important concern for a person who has absolutely no experience with extreme cold, large amounts of snow or country roads. We have lifetimes of experience in being safe in NYC and I see nothing wrong with learning how to be safe in an unfamiliar environment. As evidenced by the death of that poor man and the death of the father in Oregon. Extreme cold is serious business and I think it should be treated with respect and seriousness of purpose. Particularly in light of the political issues in the specific area that makes cell phone service very spotty.</p>

<p>you posted “My cousin visited last year from Chicago, and her husband actually pleaded with her not to go into the city at all. So I can’t help seeing some irony in your post.”</p>

<p>I can’t imagine what you’re point is there. New York is one of the safest cities in the country. I would, however, urge anyone who’s never been in a city before to brush up on a few things for their safety.</p>

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<p>I must admit Zoosermom I’m laughing a little, too. The coldest I’ve ever been in my life was wandering around NYC over MLK weekend in 2004 trying to find a subway entrance at 7am. I believe my D who is now at Dartmouth and went skiing in -5 with a 20 mile wind would agree.</p>

<p>Limit her driving, discuss the hazards of drinking - being a little drunk and wandering off from your buddies at 2am in Hanover or Plattsburgh in January can be deadly - ice skating on ponds, etc.
I would have long talks about driving. We have discussed bringing my D her car, but she has no winter driving experience, so she has passed so far. Can your D manage without a car?</p>

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<p>Cangel posted: "must admit Zoosermom I’m laughing a little, too. "</p>

<p>ZM Responds: Well, I was trying to be amusing.</p>

<p>Cangel posted: “The coldest I’ve ever been in my life was wandering around NYC over MLK weekend in 2004 trying to find a subway entrance at 7am.”</p>

<p>ZM responds in stunned surprise: Really? Wow! Everyone who hears where ZG is going tells us that she really can’t be prepared for the weather “up there.” I don’t generally find NYC too cold (although I loathe walking on the far west side), so that’s optimistic. The tragedy that occurred to that family made us think that we have no idea what she’s getting into.</p>

<p>Cangel posted: “Limit her driving, discuss the hazards of drinking - being a little drunk and wandering off from your buddies at 2am in Hanover or Plattsburgh in January can be deadly - ice skating on ponds, etc.
I would have long talks about driving. We have discussed bringing my D her car, but she has no winter driving experience, so she has passed so far. Can your D manage without a car?”</p>

<p>ZM responds: she’s going to have to. She won’t take her road test till next week and the vagaries of NYS licensing laws mean that she will be totally unprepared to drive anywhere upon passing the road test.</p>

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<p>Zoosermom, I don’t think there is any such thing as being a helecopter mom re cold weather issues. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent adult, and, while on travel in the midwest two years ago, I drove my rental car to one of those hand-operated car washes to get some of the wintry grime off of it - bottom line I somehow forgot it was below freezing outside, and sprayed so much water all over the car I accidently froze the doors shut, as well as froze the tires to the ground when the water puddled…had to call the car rental company to get a replacement, and my recollection is that the car had to sit there until the weather got warmer; I don’t think they could move it because it was frozen in place…I seem to remember paying towing fees or something.</p>

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<p>Letting her know about the dangers of drinking and being out in cold weather. Here’s something that may be helpful:}
"Alcohol is a depressant, can slow the heart and also hasten the ill effects of cold body temperatures.
{Senior Weather Busters Fact Sheet} </p>

<p>To keep sinuses clear in winter it is suggested that you avoid alcohol, which can cause congestion and dehydration, making mucus thicker.
{Parade magazine, Feb. 1992} </p>

<p>Stay away from alcohol if you will be exposed to the cold. Alcohol dilates peripheral blood vessels near the surface of the body, and so steals crucial warmth from internal organs. Although alcohol seems to warm the gullet, the end result can be to pull the heat out and accelerate the problem of hypothermia. Also alcohol interferes with the good judgment that might otherwise persuade one to come in from the cold.
{Rick Weiss, Washington Post Health, Feb. 1995} </p>

<p>Do not drink alcohol or caffeine: they contribute to dehydration.
{“Stay Cool, healthy during periods of intense heat,” HealthCentral.com -7/23/00} </p>

<p>Avoid alcohol and caffeine when possible since they both drain you of more fluid than you take in by drinking them.
{Health Sciences Institute newsletter, August 2000} </p>

<p>An individual will fatigue faster in cold weather, and your body works harder just to keep you warm. Drinking water in cold weather before and after exercise is even more critical in cold temperatures. In cold weather, your body loses moisture not just from sweating, but from breathing, when you use moisture to heat the cold air. Cold winds also foster dehydration and when you are tired, your body has less energy to handle the stress of producing extra heat (no mention of alcohol’s negative effects).
{“Feel the Freezer Burn!" - Washington Post Health, Jan 16, 2001, by Heidi Splete} </p>

<p>*Author’s comment: If a person drinks the eight glasses of pure water recommended each day, there will be little room for alcoholic beverages. Those who drink alcohol need to drink additional water because alcohol dehydrates the body. "</p>

<p>From: <a href=“http://www.jrussellshealth.com/alcweath.html[/url]”>http://www.jrussellshealth.com/alcweath.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thanks for taking the time to help me out, NOrthstarmom. Your kindness is much appreciated.</p>

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<p>I think your daughter will be fine and safe up in Plattsburgh. There are a few things you can do to keep her safe. Make sure she has AAA with the full package, so if she is stuck anywhere there is a safe place to call for help. If she is bringing a car, find out what is needed on a phone or a car to insure a way to get help. This includes people always knowing she is on the road and an accepted arrival time. Does on-star type service work there, would a gps handheld or on the car help? some net info I found…
Phones sold today by Edge Wireless and other carriers using GSM network technology, such as Cingular and T-Mobile, comply with the FCC regulations using network-based technology that calculates a mobile phone’s location in real time using signal analysis and triangulation between towers. Wireless carriers using CDMA network technology, such as Alltel, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel, have GPS technology embedded in them to fulfill the E911 government mandate. </p>

<p>Both network and GPS location information allow authorities to send signals or pings directly to these handsets to find an approximate location of the phone.
cellular network coverage has improved tremendously over the past several years, it is still not ubiquitous in the United States. Even some urban areas have dead zones, particularly in buildings or underground. Rural and remote areas suffer most from lack of coverage. And these areas also happen to be places where people are most often stranded or lost.</p>

<p><a href=“http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/12/05/17164.aspx[/url]”>http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/12/05/17164.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://news.com.com/Turning+cell+phones+into+lifelines/2100-1039_3-6140794.html[/url]”>http://news.com.com/Turning+cell+phones+into+lifelines/2100-1039_3-6140794.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Keep in mind that the reason the article made the news is that, first of all, it is rare. second, this is a political hot potato in NY.
Read some info on the basics of safe winter driving.
<a href=“http://www.syracuse.com/weather/snow/stories/driving.html[/url]”>http://www.syracuse.com/weather/snow/stories/driving.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I lived in Wyoming long ago and never drove anywhere without a sleeping bag, water and food in the car. Never had to use them (but those bags of chips were welcome on the long hauls.) I tried to limit driving to daylight, too. </p>

<p>I read that story and had to wonder why a couple in their sixties thought it wise to be driving through a moutainous area in the winter at 2:00 a.m. It was an avoidable accident and it’s not clear if the husband’s outcome would have been different if help had arrived sooner. </p>

<p>Cell phones give people a false sense of security, IMO, the way all wheel drive or being in an SUV does. These things do not suspend the need for common sense. It’s a tragic accident but it was not caused by the failure to get a cell phone signal.</p>

<p>I’m sure your daughter can adapt. If she’s cautious at home, she’ll be that way at school, too.</p>

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<p>The best additional advice I could give (living in the Boston area) is, "When it’s too cold (which is defined either by your being cold, or by the weather folks saying it is - they do that), DON’T GO ANYWHERE. Stay on campus, and stay warm! I’ve found fleece to be the best for clothing, and for blankets in the car. Not too heavy, warm outside, but doesn’t make you boil when you’re inside.</p>

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<p>Zoosermom, it seems to me that it’s only common sense that a city-raised person should bone up on travel in unfamiliar environments. </p>

<p>In addition to some of the suggestions above, I’ll add one, although I don’t know this from personal experience, and only heard it on a TV story about traveling safely in cold areas. They said that you should carry an empty coffee can, matches and a candle at all times. If your car won’t work, or you’re lost, you light the candle, and with some of the wax you stick the candle to the bottom. The candle warms the can, which radiates heat throughout the car. The story said it can keep a car at 50 degrees even in zero-degree temperatures (along with the person’s own body heat) for as long as the candle burns. It also functions as a light for searchers to see the car in the dark. the expert said that the candle use of oxygen isn’t enough to cause danger even in a closed car.</p>

<p>As I say, I can’t vouch for this myself, but it made sense. </p>

<p>And congratulations to your daughter !</p>

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<p>Aw thanks Hayden! That’s an excellent tip. I’m making a list of all this advice. For smarter people than I much of it might be intuitively obvious, but it really isn’t for me, so the help is gratefully received.</p>

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<p>My SIL lived in Jackson Hole for a few years as a 20 soemthing.</p>

<p>Tell your daughter that if she leaves campus (late-October to early April)she should tell someone EXACTLY where she is going and when she expects to be back. She can post it on her computer on her AIM message. Tell her not to hike or ski or tramp alone in sub-zero temperatures.</p>

<p>Haven’t heard of any Plattsburgh students dying on the tundra though, ZM. On the other hand, I had a friend who transferred to Columbia during freshman orientation week because he was a bystander in an armed robbery in New Haven. One night, he and his roommate found a big rolled up carpet on the streeet and brought it up to their room in the dorm. When they rolled it out–in the middle fo a freshman party–there was a dead body in it!</p>

<p>That was pre-Guiliani though. A different city. ;)</p>

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<p>zoosermom - I totally understand your concern about sending your child off to an unfamiliar environment. I lived in Golden, Colorado for a few years and I remember being horrified at the idea of driving to work when there was ice/snow on the roads. I’m Rio Grande Valley Girl from the hottest, flattest part of Texas and driving those foothills in the winter took some adjustment. And my husband and I are pretty happy ldgirl doesn’t have her car up at UNC…since her exposure to driving on icy hills is pretty much nil.</p>

<p>I agree with lefthanddog. If you are sending a car up there, it is a good idea to keep supplies in the car…and to make sure the car has the appropriate tires. Hayden - that is a great survival tip btw!</p>

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<p>haha, and the anxiety builds. :slight_smile: </p>

<p>We recently got new cell phones, and I made sure to turn on the GPS signal. Also, it’s always a good idea to have a good pair of boots in the car. You never know when a five mile drive might turn into a five mile hike, and those party shoes just won’t do in bad weather.</p>

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<p>Not so different Cheers. We’re a post-Giuliani city now, unfortunately.</p>

<p>“Haven’t heard of any Plattsburgh students dying on the tundra though, ZM.”</p>

<p>Yeah, but the man from Brooklyn died right outside Plattsburgh this weekend. Which has been front page news here all weekend. I don’t know why, but I had somehow gotten the idea that maybe the school would talk to freshman about being safe in the area.</p>

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<p>Northstarmom had excellent suggestions for you. As a young bride in Buffalo, NY, I almost abandoned my vehicle in one of those lovely “lake effect” snowstorms one is always hearing about on the news. I had gone to the grocery and upon exiting the building less than an hour later, I was greeted by a whiteout and blizzard conditions. New to the area, it hadn’t even occurred to me to mention to dear husband that I was going to the store and was ill-prepared to face the elements. Happily I have moved to a more temperate climate but I don’t think you’re being silly at all wanting your daughter to be prepared for what can truly be harsh conditions.</p>

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<p>We lived in Minnesota for a number of years, and I did keep some of the above-mentioned items in the car – a sleeping bag, kitty litter, flashlight w/ extra batteries, matches and I even had a couple of space blankets and hand warmers. Fortunately, we never needed any of them, but the most important thing for your daughter is to use some common sense about when and where she is traveling. If she’s driving somewhere, she should stay on a main road, preferably a freeway, and make sure someone knows her precise itinerary. If she’s sledding or playing in the snow, she should make sure she has a buddy with her. </p>

<p>There was a story in the local paper while we lived there about a couple who was in a very rural area, and who were lost in a blizzard. Authorities were able to locate them using a cell phone “ping.” If she gets lost or stranded, she should stay with the car.</p>