Prepare to deal with the bitter cold

Bam!

Winter hit us with an icy baseball bat this weekend, and the first week of January promises to be both uncomfortable and dangerous.

That’s not unusual for this time of year, but after a series of relatively mild winters, the arctic conditions can come as a bit of a shock.

Those old enough to remember the brutal winters of 1977, 1978 and 1983, have a few suggestions to make:

•Take it seriously. Don’t head out into the cold in a hoodie and pair of shorts and expect to return unscathed. This is the real deal. Bundle up in layers, stay tuned into things like The Weather Channel and use some common sense.

•Plan. When you do go out, have a strategy in mind. Make a list of what you need to pick up at the grocery or pharmacy or hardware store. A little thought ahead of time can prevent a nuisance phone call to 911 because you ran out of disposable diapers.

•Take an inventory of your refrigerator, pantry and medicine cabinet. Incorporate that information into your planning.

•Check on neighbors, particularly those who are disabled, infirm or elderly. Put the Golden Rule to work.

•Help others when you can. If it’s pushing a car stuck in the snow or shoveling a neighbor’s drive, every bit helps.

•Leave a trickle of water running when the thermometer dips below zero. The last thing you want to have to deal with is frozen pipes.

•Allow extra time. The entire community is going to be moving as if we had lead boots on for a few days. Travel will take longer. Little tasks will become bigger tasks. It only makes sense to allow extra minutes. Better to be early than late or not arrive at all.

•Be patient. Current conditions aren’t going to last forever. Everyone knows how quickly the weather can change in the Midwest. So pick up that book you got for Christmas — or last Christmas — and give it a read. Dig out a video the kids haven’t seen in awhile. And make the most of it. — J.R.