When winter weather arrives, I’m blunt with my international students who are new to Canada: Stay warm, don’t drown.

Almost all of my students at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario, are from much warmer climates and have rarely seen snow. They usually ask about how to buy their first winter coats and boots.

I also take time in class for what may be life saving conversations with them about cold weather and dangers of walking on ice over rivers, ponds and lakes.

I worked 30 years as a newspaper reporter before starting teaching journalism, then business communication and leadership courses.

I’ve written far too many winter stories about people dying from the cold and ice-covered water.

I don’t want any of my students to become another grim news story.

Here’s the annoucement I shared today with my students. It recaps what what talked about, including links to information.

You have my permission to copy and share it with your students, too. (The “Hello {first name}” string generates the student’s first name in the D2L learning management system we use to communicate with students).

Winter Clothing and Safety Tips

Hello {firstname}:

With below-freezing temperatures, wind and snow in the weather forecast for the Kitchener area for last weekend in November, I’m not surprised students were asking me about winter clothing in class this week.  

Stay warm and dry

The goal for winter clothing is to keep you dry and protected from the wind.  Wind chill is a term you will hear in weather forecasts when the outside temperature is at zero Celsius, or below.  It means the harder the wind blows, the colder the air feels – and the more dangerous the cold is.

If you’re looking for a winter coat, expect to pay $100 to $200 for an effective, wind- and water resistant coat. I recommend looking for function over fashion: how well it fits and keeps you warm, not how cool you look.

I encourage you to get a coat with an integral hood, which tightly snugs around your face and neck. 

Also, I’ve always liked coats that extend below my waist, to the top part of my thighs.  That covers my backside and helps keeps cold wind from blowing up my back when I am are outside waiting for the bus on a day like in the photo at the top of this announcement, in January 2024 at the Block Line LRT station.

My shopping tips

Marks Work Warehouse is a good place to look for outerwear. I see this Columbia brand mens winter jacket on a Black Friday sale today.  This parka jacket also looks good, would likely be a bit warmer, but more bulky. 

Insider Tip:  Canadian Tire owns Marks Work Warehouse.  Sometimes, Canadian Tire (an automotive, tools and home equipment kind of store) also sells a smaller range of winter clothing that’s on deep discount. Like this parka for $80 for Black Friday.

Peavey Mart offers more rugged outdoor clothing, generally for construction and farm workers outdoors all day in cold weather.

Marks, Canadian Tire and Peavey sell winter boots.  I’ve also had good success shopping for winter footwear at Factory Shoe in Kitchener.

Always think about good treads on your winter boots, to minimize your chance of a nasty fall.  And I like boots that cover at least the top of my ankle, to keep my feet dry.

Running shoes are not a good choice to walk in the snow.

Winter Danger: Cold

Cold winter weather can injure you, with frostbite damaging your fingers, toes or ears. Or you might break a wrist or ankle when you slip while walking cross an icy sidewalk or driveway.

Hypothermia is a dangerous health condition caused by your body getting too cold.  It can kill you, if you don’t respond quickly to the symptoms. Here are seven tips for cold weather safety.

Winter Danger: Thin Ice

Do not trust the ice covering rivers, creeks or ponds to be strong enough to carry your weight  – especially if temperatures are near zero degrees Celsius. 

Breaking through ice into near-freezing water will cause rapid hypothermia and incapacitate you, if you don’t drown first. It is extremely difficult to climb out of cold water without help.

Call 911 immediately if you see someone go through ice.  Don’t go out on the ice yourself to get them: you will likely end up in the water, too.

Here’s what you can do while waiting for emergency help to arrive.

Local firefighters are trained and equipped for the ice rescues, wearing waterproof suits that float, ropes and boats. This video shows firefighters training at night for ice rescues.

See you in class.

Kevin