Occupy Wall Street: Snow, Cold Catches Some Protesters Off Guard
![Occupy Wall Street](https://d.medicaldaily.com/en/full/221875/occupy-wall-street.jpg?w=600&f=34327174cc9ee7f4287e4ae07cdacef0)
Some Occupy Wall Street protesters were caught off guard by severe weather in recent days as the first snow of the fall came to New York City on Saturday, and the number of people with hypothermia increased, volunteer medics said.
Snowfall on Saturday was mixed with cold rain throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to reach a low of 28 degrees Fahrenheit at in the evening, according to the National Weather service. Wind gusts could reach as high as 55 miles per hour.
One designated medic Saturday that some people were caught off guard by the cold weather. Another said preventative measures need to be taken to cope with the environment as the weather is only expected to continue to worsen.
Space blankets, which are made of aluminum-foil-like Mylar are being distributed to people camping out in tents at Zuccotti Park in Manhattan’s financial district.
Medics say people are using them in their sleeping bags, tents or inside of jackets against to protect against the cold.
Medics say that in recent days that many of the people coming to receive assistance at two large tents for medical use, labeled red crosses, have come in concerned about of cold hands and feet. Others have come in soaked by the rain and have received assistance in getting dry.
A pair of medics was making rounds at the park on Saturday evening, walking through dark, narrow pathways lined with dozens of tents. They called out identifying themselves as medics, asking if anyone needed assistance.
The medics say local physicians have been assisting people at the park, taking turns providing services and sometimes providing prescriptions. One medic said some people who are too ill to be treated in there and have been directed to go to a hospital.