(Fort Worth, TX) – The cold temperatures have prompted MedStar to implement their Extreme Weather Response Procedure.

That means there is an increased response priority for any call about a patient who is outdoors in an unprotected area.  The ambulance service says yesterday they responded to 3 cold exposure patients in a period of 18 hours.  They recommend that if you have to be outdoors, dress in layers, limit outdoor activity and watch for signs of hypothermia like confusion, sleepiness, difficulty speaking and stiff muscles.  They say frostbite is also a concern because a victim might not even realize they are suffering from frostbite because the tissue is numb.

Officials are asking everyone to check on elderly folks to make sure they have a reliable source of heat.  Fort Worth ISD canceled outdoor recess and outdoor athletic events today.