Risk library
Extreme cold
Preserve heat, ventilation and vulnerable people.
Extreme cold can affect health, housing and access. Preparedness means reducing exposure, keeping a safe heated room, maintaining ventilation and watching for carbon monoxide risks.
Never block ventilation and never use a generator or outdoor combustion device indoors. Headache, nausea, dizziness or fainting may indicate carbon monoxide exposure.
Warning signs
Watch people, wind chill and the home.
Cold risk increases with wind, fatigue, isolation, heating failure, power outage or long exposure outside.
Watch unusual fatigue, intense shivering, confusion, drowsiness or difficulty speaking.
Treat numbness, pale waxy skin or loss of sensitivity as possible frostbite.
Check whether indoor temperature remains safely comfortable.
Call vulnerable relatives or neighbors during prolonged cold periods.
Protection
Keep heat without creating a hidden hazard.
The safest routine combines limited exposure, layered clothing, safe heating and daily ventilation.
Reduce travel, especially for children, seniors and isolated people.
Keep living rooms evenly heated without blocking air inlets.
Close shutters at night and reduce drafts under doors.
Wear breathable, insulating and windproof layers.
Home resilience
Improve comfort before the next cold episode.
Small and large improvements can reduce heat loss and help the household cope during outages.
Prioritize attic and roof insulation with appropriate materials.
Use thick thermal curtains, good seals and closed shutters at night.
Place reflectors behind radiators on cold walls and keep heaters clear.
Prepare a refuge room that is easy to heat while keeping daily ventilation.
Household checklist
Check that ventilation is not blocked and heating appliances are maintained.
Install or test carbon monoxide detectors when combustion is used.
Identify vulnerable people to call daily during prolonged cold.
Prepare warm clothing, blankets, light, batteries and outage backup options.
Define a refuge room that is easy to heat safely.