Heating failure in cold weather
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Use dry layers, blankets and a smaller dry room while you identify safe heat or a warmer reachable place. Never use a gas oven, barbecue or generator to heat indoors. Confusion, slurred speech, unusual drowsiness or poor coordination can mean hypothermia: seek urgent care and begin safe warming.
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Act on immediate danger. Seek qualified help when reachable and safe, but do not make your first protective step depend on a response. This page is general guidance, not a live alert.
Do now.
- 01
Get dry and insulated
Replace wet clothes, layer loose dry clothing and insulate beneath the body as well as above it. Keep vulnerable people away from draughts.
- 02
Use one workable space
Choose a dry room that remains safe and has a usable exit. Close unnecessary interior doors without blocking ventilation needed by approved heating appliances.
- 03
Avoid combustion shortcuts
Use only heating equipment approved for indoor use according to its instructions, with working CO alarms. A grill, oven or indoor generator is not a backup heater.
- 04
Check people regularly
Cold can impair judgement. Pay particular attention to infants, older people and anyone with illness or limited mobility. Do not rely on a person saying they feel fine.
- 05
Move before severe exposure
Confirm a warmer destination and safe route while people can still travel. Do not cross dangerous ice or an active hazard merely to reach a public warming centre.
PLAN AROUND WHAT YOU HAVE
If help is unavailable.
Use the safest dry shelter and insulation available while confirming a warmer private or community destination. Leave early if you cannot keep vulnerable people warm rather than waiting for official shelter.
People & practical needs.
Assign a trusted adult to each person who needs assistance. Keep medicines, essential contacts and a workable reunion plan with the group. Make decisions around the least mobile person, not the fastest; avoid splitting the family without a clear, safe way to reconnect.
Keep essentials within reach
Keep essential medicines, safe drinking water, a battery light, footwear, phone power and written contacts accessible. Carry only what you can manage; collecting supplies must not delay escape.
Next steps.
Contact a qualified repair provider when reachable and safe. Plan for medication storage, food, water and sanitation during a longer outage; a portable heater alone does not solve all needs.
Watch for.
Do not give alcohol as a warming method or rub frostbitten skin. Fuel-burning devices can create lethal CO even when you cannot smell anything.
Sources & context.
Osprey Zero combines source-based protective guidance with practical household planning. References provide context, not a promise of assistance. Some standards are U.S.-based; local risks, laws and services differ.
Updated 2026-10-02. Editorially reviewed against linked references; not independently certified by a subject-matter expert. Verify changing conditions through sources safe for you to contact.