Cold weather can pose a variety of health and safety risks. It's important to be aware of those risks and take steps to keep you, your loved ones and neighbors safe.

Cold weather health hazards include hypothermia and frostbite, as well as carbon monoxide poisoning and injuries from heat sources.

Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature falls below 95ºF. Frostbite refers to actual freezing and subsequent destruction of body tissue that is likely to occur any time skin temperature gets much below 32ºF. The areas most likely to freeze are toes, fingers, ears, cheeks and the tip of the nose.

Tips for staying warm and healthy in extreme cold weather include:

• Cover your head. You lose as much as 50 percent of your body heat through your head.
• Wear several layers of lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.The air between the layers acts as insulation to keep you warmer.
• Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect lungs from direct cold air. Cover your ears and the lower part of your face, too.
• Wear mittens rather than fingered gloves. The close contact of fingers helps to keep your hands warm.
• Wear warm leg coverings and heavy socks, or two pairs of lightweight socks.
• Wear waterproof boots or sturdy shoes to keep your feet warm and dry.

To find more cold weather safety tips and to view weekly DHMH Cold Weather Reports that are posted on Tuesday afternoons, visit www.dhmh.maryland.gov and click on Cold Weather Facts under 'Hot Topics.'

It's here and just for teens.  Confidential, walk-in services are available the first and third Thursday of every month. Our walk-in clinic offers:

• Pregnancy Testing
• Birth Control
• Emergency Contraception
• STD Testing

No exam required.

Remember it's the first and third Thursday of the month.
Hours: 1:30 -3:30 p.m. 

Call 410-996-5135 for more information and Friend us on Facebook.

We care about your health.

How can I tell if my child is using drugs? Can I stop my teen from drinking at parties? Where can I go for treatment? Isn't it better for teens to drink at home than elsewhere? How can the police help? The Cecil County Drug Awareness Forum: A Conversation on Substance Abuse in Cecil County is a series of workshops that explore ways concerned citizens and parents can be pro-active when fighting drug addiction and drug trafficking in our communities.

November 10 - Gangs in our Community

September 22 - A Conversation on Substance Abuse in Cecil County Materials  on prevention, enforcement and treatment options in Cecil County.

Overview of substance abuse in Cecil County.

Drug abuse prevention tips for parents.

Photos from the event.

Watch a presentation on recovery options in Cecil County.

The latest press release from The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reminds us caution should be exercised when using portable generators.