Red Cross Offers Tips for Keeping Safe in Frigid Weather

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — As frigid temperatures move in and blanket the region this weekend, the Red Cross warns of dangers to pets and frozen pipes in homes.

During cold weather, take preventative action in your home

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55 degrees F.

To thaw frozen pipes

• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Pet safety in winter

• If possible, bring your pets inside during cold winter weather. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas and make sure they have access to non-frozen drinking water.
• If the animals are outside, make sure their access to food and water is not blocked by snow drifts, ice or other obstacles.

The following tips on winter pet safety are provided by the Humane Society of the United States:
 

• If pets cannot come indoors, make sure they are protected by a dry, draft-free enclosure large enough to allow them to sit and lie down, but small enough to hold in the pet’s body heat. Raise the floor a few inches off the ground and cover it with cedar shavings or straw. Turn the enclosure away from the wind and cover the doorway with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic.
• Salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate a pet’s paws. Wipe their paws with a damp towel before your pet licks them and irritates their mouth.
• Antifreeze is a deadly poison. Wipe up spills and store antifreeze out of reach.

More winter safety information can be found at www.redcross.org.
 

North Adams Police Investigating Suspicious Fire at Concession Stand

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
06:20PM / Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Fire Chief Brent Lefebvre, left, and Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau check the damage to the concession building. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Authorities are investigating a suspicious fire that occurred at the Windsor Lake concession stand on Wednesday afternoon. 

 

The fire was called in just before 5 p.m. as "visible flames and smoke." There was dark smoke coming from a storage area on the backside of the building and firefighters were able to quickly knock it down.

 

Power was shut off to the building and fans set up to push the smoke out. Wire and Alarm and Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau also arrived on scene. 

 

"Right now we're just trying to make sure all of the flames are out and that there's no reoccurrence, and then the Police Department will do their investigation," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey. "It is a suspicious thing that we're closed and we weren't cooking hamburgs." 

 

There was damage to some of the items being stored in the building, including two kayaks that melted, plus the lines & buoys for the swimming area, chairs and some benches. 

 

The concession stand was not open this year, so nothing was on in the kitchen; the other items were stored at the beginning of October. 

 

There were people up at the park, walking and enjoying the view. One woman who was out with her dog said she'd walked by the stand and noticed two people on bench near it, but no smoke. When she came back about 20 minutes later, the fire engines were there.