How to Do the Right Thing this Winter

December 21st is the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. It's also the most dangerous time of year to be without a home. Each year, the lives of hundreds of people without a home are lost due to extreme weather conditions. Today, you can be a part of the solution by learning how to react appropriately when you see someone on the street in the freezing cold. Take two minutes and read on... you just might save somebody's life.

For well over a year, I've been writing about homelessness for Change.org. There has been no shortage of fodder - actions to take, policy debates, or pop culture intersections - to banter about. But few topics are as critically important as saving a life in the winter. That is, knowing how to react when you stumble across a person outdoors in extreme weather conditions. It's impossible to stress this simple fact enough: by reacting appropriately, you have the power to save somebody's life.

This weekend, for example, two friends in New York City were walking home after a late night on the town. It was late, freezing, they'd had a few drinks, and they just wanted to climb into a warm bed and drift off to sleep. But along their route they came across a person bundled under a blanket on the sidewalk.

My friends knew that this was no night to be sleeping on the sidewalk. Temperatures were below freezing and a nasty nor'easter was beginning to blanket the city with a foot of snow. They had to make a choice: either walk by like they never saw anything and head to their warm bed, or take action to get this person some help.

Luckily, they chose the latter. But only after fretting about how to handle the situation. Who does one call in a situation like this? A street outreach team? A hotline? A winter shelter?

The first day of winter or the longest night of the year may not mean much when you have a heater, a warm bed, and a roof. But we should not turn a blind eye to the millions whose basic needs are not being met. In extreme weather conditions - especially the freezing cold - we need to look out for one another. Here's how:

First, when you see someone on the streets in the freezing cold, here's how to react (from a previous post):

1. "Can you hear me?"
In extremely cold temperatures, a person who appears to be asleep on the street, may in fact be unconscious. It takes just a few seconds to check if someone is responsive by asking if he or she can hear you. If you don't get a response, call 911.

2. Extra Coffee
Purchase a small, decaffeinated coffee (caffeinated may add to dehydration) during your morning coffee run and give it to someone on the street. Just a small hot drink can warm someone up. Hot chocolate is a good alternative.

3. Disorientation
Disorientation, confusion and even "inappropriate" behavior might be signs of the onset of hypothermia. In the dead of winter, if someone appears confused and disoriented, it is important not to misunderstand and dismiss these symptoms. Look for the other signs of hypothermia - extreme shivering, exhaustion, slurred speech and drowsiness - and call for help if they're present.

If all else fails - or it's late at night and a person appears to be sleeping or unconscious - call 911, as my friends did this weekend. You know what they say: better safe than sorry.

For a few ideas on how to help homeless service organizations prepare for the cold weather, read this guide on fighting the cold weather.

Remember: in crisis situations - like cold weather - never assume that a problem is being addressed.

Image: BKGunner