Milwaukee Co. Sheriff's Office preparing for extreme cold weather

MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- A Milwaukee man died in the cold from hypothermia Friday. Saturday shoppers were stocking up getting ready for the cold. And today the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office is getting ready to help you stay safe on the roads.



\"We will have additional patrols on the freeway systems, squads patrolling the freeway system specifically looking for disabled vehicles,\" Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office Deputy Inspector Aisha Barkow said.



When it gets this cold, drivers must be aware.



\"In extreme cold weather cars break down unexpectedly.\"



Some cars won't start.



That's why there'll be more squads out looking for drivers having issues on the roads.



The sheriff's office monitors the weather conditions all the time, but they know some people don't.



\"Wear clothes that's appropriate for the weather,\" Barkow said.  \"Dress in layers.  Have extra clothing in their vehicles.\"



It's all about planning.  Some people might ignore the forecast and find themselves in a difficult situation.



\"The reality is motorists, people will travel out in extreme weather.  It doesn't take long for frostbite to occur or for hypothermia to set in.



The sheriff's deputies need to be ready for the cold too.



\"Oh yeah.\"



They're out and about on long shifts helping those stuck in the cold.



\"our dispatch is constantly checking up on them. We have increased our staff specifically for this reason on the freeway system so we can have more deputies respond to different situations.\"



If you do find yourself in a disabled vehicle, they urge you to stay in the car to keep any warmth in it until help arrives.  They also recommend staying home if you don't have to go outside.