UPMC Professor Explains How To Avoid Frostbite

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - Temperatures are expected to drop well below zero next week and the Afternoon News wants to make sure you are prepared for the frigid weather.

UPMC professor of emergency medicine, Dr. Cliff Callaway, joined KDKA Radio's Bill Rehkopf to talk about hypothermia prevention.

Dr. Callaway explains to listeners the difference between frostbite and hypothermia. He describes frostbite as an injury typically to the fingers or toes where tissue is damaged by the cold while hypothermia is more of a whole body situation where you are not able to keep your body heat.

Here in Pittsburgh, he says the hospital will see more cases of hypothermia then they typically would with frostbite.

"There is always a few cases of hypothermia when we have weather like this people who are not prepare or exposed or are not able to get to shelter are definitely at risk," Dr. Callaway says.

He also continued talking about frostbite and hypothermia prevention tips.

"Layers are definitely much better," the doctor says. "One of the best insulators is air, and when you have layered clothing, you trap air between the layers, so you actually create a lot more insulating value by having multiple layers then you would having on single thick layer."

You can hear the whole interview here now!

You can also listen to the KDKA Afternoon News weekdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.