01/23/2026
Happy Friday from Nexus! We are watching the weather closely and will follow Lakeside School Districts closing policy for inclement weather.
Should we have severe weather that keeps us from opening Monday one of our members will contact you for a telehealth appointment or to reschedule.
Please be safe and smart! See winter weather tips below:
Very good info!
⚠️ ARKANSAS WINTER STORM: HOW TO SURVIVE A WEEK (OR MORE) WITHOUT HEAT — SINGLE DIGITS / BELOW FREEZING ❄️
This is real-life survival, not “cozy tips.” If your power goes out and it’s 5° outside, your house becomes a refrigerator. Your job is to stay warm, stay alive, and prevent fire/CO poisoning.
1) RULE #1: HEAT A PERSON, NOT A HOUSE
Trying to warm an entire home with no power is a losing game. Your mission is to create a warm micro-environment.
Build a “Warm Room”
Pick one small room with:
• Fewest windows
• Door you can shut
• Closets / lots of fabric (fabric helps)
• Ideally NOT a huge open living room
Seal it up:
• Roll towels/clothes at door bottoms (draft blockers)
• Tape blankets over windows (painters tape if you have it)
• Hang blankets like curtains over doorways to create “airlocks”
• Put mattresses or couch cushions against exterior walls for insulation
Floor matters: cold comes up fast.
• Lay down rugs, blankets, cardboard, sleeping bags, even flattened boxes
• Stay off tile/hardwood if possible
2) LAYERING THAT ACTUALLY WORKS
If you’re cold, you don’t need “one big jacket.” You need layers that trap air.
The winning combo:
• Base layer: something dry (thermal, leggings, long sleeve, even a t-shirt if that’s all)
• Insulating layer: fleece/hoodie/sweater
• Outer layer: wind-blocking (coat, rain jacket, even a trash bag poncho in a pinch)
Don’t forget:
• Hat/beanie (heat loss is real)
• Socks + another pair of socks
• Gloves (or socks on your hands)
• Keep one “sleep outfit” DRY and protected (do not wear it around doing chores)
Critical rule: Sweat will kill your warmth. If you’re doing anything physical, remove a layer before you sweat.
3) THE “INDOOR TENT” TRICK (THIS CAN SAVE LIVES)
This is the single best “think outside the box” move.
Make a tent inside your warm room:
• Use a small pop-up tent if you have one
• Or drape blankets over a table/chairs
• Or hang a sheet/blanket from furniture to create a low ceiling
Then put:
• Sleeping bags / blankets inside
• Everyone sleeps in the tent
Why it works: your body heat warms a smaller air pocket FAST.
Pro tip: Put a blanket over the tent (leave breathing space) to boost insulation.
4) SAFE HEAT SOURCES (AND WHAT NOT TO DO)
🚫 Do NOT use these indoors:
• Charcoal grills
• Gas grills
• Camp stoves
• Generators
• Propane heaters unless they are specifically indoor-rated and you still have ventilation + CO alarm
Carbon monoxide kills quietly. If you get sleepy, headachey, nauseated, confused — that can be CO. Get outside immediately.
✅ If you have a fireplace:
• Use it, but keep the warm room near it
• Close doors to contain heat
• If you don’t have a screen, improvise safety barriers for kids/pets
✅ If you have a gas stove:
It can provide limited warmth only if used safely:
• Never leave it on while sleeping
• Crack ventilation
• Keep kids away
• CO detector is ideal
5) HOT WATER = A PORTABLE HEATER (NO ELECTRICITY REQUIRED)
If you can heat water at all (gas stove, fireplace kettle, outdoor burner used OUTSIDE), use it like this:
• Fill a bottle/jug with hot water (secure lid tight)
• Wrap it in a sock/towel
• Put it:
• Between thighs (major blood vessels)
• On chest
• At feet inside blankets
No bottle? Use:
• Mason jar wrapped in cloth
• Double-bagged freezer bags inside a sock (careful: leaks)
Warm drinks warm you from the inside. Even warm broth helps.
6) FOOD = FUEL (YOU WILL BURN MORE CALORIES)
Cold makes your body spend energy to stay warm. If you’re under-eating, you’ll get colder.
Aim for:
• Peanut butter, nuts, trail mix
• Crackers, granola, protein bars
• Tuna/chicken packets
• Instant oatmeal (even if made with warm-ish water)
• Soup, broth, ramen (if you can heat water)
• Honey, hard candy (quick energy)
Before bed: eat something fatty/protein-heavy. It helps your body generate heat overnight.
7) SLEEP SURVIVAL: HOW TO NOT FREEZE AT NIGHT
Night is when people get into trouble.
Do this:
• Sleep in the warm room
• Everyone in the indoor tent if possible
• Wear a hat + socks to sleep
• Put tomorrow’s clothes inside your sleeping bag so they’re warm in the morning
• If you wake up shivering hard, add layers and warm your core (hot water bottle if you can)
Never sleep in a running car in a closed garage.
If you warm up in a car, do it outside with the tailpipe completely clear of snow and the car ventilated.
😎 WATER: KEEP PIPES FROM BURSTING + KEEP DRINKING WATER SAFE
To reduce pipe freezing:
• Open cabinet doors under sinks (let warmer air reach pipes)
• Drip faucets slightly on the coldest nights (especially exterior-wall pipes)
• Insulate exposed pipes with towels/clothes if you can
• Turn off water at the main if you suspect freezing and you’re leaving
Drinking water:
• Fill bathtubs, pitchers, every bottle you own before the storm
• If on a well: power outage can mean no water
• Keep a small “drinking only” stash separate so it doesn’t get used for washing
9) CLOTHES + BLANKETS: HOW TO “UPGRADE” WHAT YOU HAVE
No fancy gear? Still doable.
• Put a sheet closest to you (less itchy), then blankets, then a comforter
• Emergency insulation: cardboard under you, behind you, around you
• Mylar emergency blankets are great, but even aluminum foil panels behind a heat source can reflect warmth (use caution, keep away from flames)
10) LIGHTING & POWER: THINK LIKE IT’S 1995
• Charge every battery pack now
• Keep one phone in low power mode as your “emergency line”
• Download offline maps
• Use headlamps/flashlights over candles (candles are fire starters)
• If you must use candles: put them in the sink or a deep pot, away from curtains/kids/pets, never leave unattended
11) CAR PLAN (LAST RESORT, BUT REALISTIC)
If it becomes dangerous inside:
• Rotate warming shifts in the car outside
• Keep blankets in the car now
• Keep the exhaust clear
• Run heat 10–15 minutes, then turn off, repeat as needed
• Never run it while asleep
12) MEDICAL & SPECIAL SITUATIONS (THIS PART IS IMPORTANT)
Babies/elderly:
• They lose heat faster and may not communicate it well
• Keep them in the warm room, layered, hats on
• Watch for lethargy, confusion, shivering stopping (bad sign)
Hypothermia warning signs:
• Uncontrollable shivering → then shivering stops
• Slurred speech, confusion, clumsiness
• Extreme sleepiness
If that happens: get them warm immediately and seek urgent help if possible.
Meds:
• Keep insulin and meds from freezing (in an inner pocket close to your body)
• If you use oxygen or powered medical equipment: plan now where you’ll go if outages last
13) COMMUNITY SURVIVAL: DO NOT DO THIS ALONE IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO
If you can safely relocate to one heated home with multiple people, that can be safer than everyone freezing separately.
• One house, one warm room, shared blankets, shared food, shared monitoring
Check on:
• Elderly neighbors
• Single parents
• People in mobile homes (they lose heat fast)
14) QUICK “DO THIS TONIGHT” CHECKLIST
✅ Pick your warm room + bring everyone’s bedding into it
✅ Fill tubs/bottles with water
✅ Charge everything
✅ Find flashlights/batteries
✅ Put towels/blankets at doors & windows
✅ Make an indoor tent plan
✅ Set aside calorie-dense foods
✅ Put extra blankets in the car
✅ Know where your water shutoff is
✅ If you have a CO detector, test it
If your house drops into the 40s inside and keeps falling, this becomes a real health risk—especially for kids and older adults. Pride isn’t worth hypothermia. Have a backup place in mind now.
