GRAND LEDGE, Mich. — If you stepped outside Monday, you know the cold weather is back.
We wanted to see just how quickly a person loses heat so we called the Grand Ledge Fire Department to help out with their thermal imaging camera.
"The worse possible thing for outside [is] exposed skin. Exposed skin is what makes it the worst," said Grand Ledge firefighter and EMT Chris Cornell.
Being outside when the wind chill is below zero can be dangerous for your skin.
"With more layers, you're able to stay outside in the cold for much longer; however, as we start to remove those layers, the exposure time for outside decreases a whole lot," said Cornell.
Experts say the elderly and children should limit their time outside.
For everyone else, layering up is the key to keeping the heat in.
"You still don't want to stay outside for very long, but you are able to maintain a little bit more time with more and more layers," said Cornell.
If you start feeling numb and your skin changes colors, that's a sign you might have frostbite.
The CDC says you should use warm water or heat from other parts of the body to warm the affected area as soon as possible.
Grand Ledge firefighters say the cold weather makes it very difficult for them to do their jobs because the water freezes much faster.
