ABC-7 offers winter safety tips during unusually cold weather
The recent cold temperatures are going to stick with the Borderland as people ring in the new year.
Frigid temps have lingered in El Paso longer than most would like.
“It’s a nice change for a couple of days. I want it to go away so I can go back on the golf course,” one man said in west El Paso.
ABC-7 asked people what they do to stay warm.
“Drink hot soup, eat hot soup, turn on the heater,” one El Pasoan said.
El Paso Fire Department sees a spike in calls during winter months. Some fires are a result of people improperly heating their homes.
“Use common sense when you’re trying to heat your sources,” fire spokesman Carlos Briano said. “Don’t leave things on when you’re not there because in less than a minute, you can have your house up in smoke and heavy flames.”
Unfortunately, some fires turn fatal.
If you or someone you know needs a blanket to stay warm this winter, call 211 from any land line or cellphone. If you’re feeling generous, you can drop off blankets at any El Paso fire station. The blankets are then given to the Extreme Weather Task Force to pass out to those in need across the area.
Be sure to follow instructions on space heaters. If you’re going to use one, put it on a flat, level floor surface more than 3 feet away from anything flammable.