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Brutal Temps Continue To Pummel Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's another day of brutal temperatures as Mother Nature continues to pummel Baltimore.

"I'm not looking forward to it one bit," said one woman, who was out braving the cold.

A crippling Arctic blast is wreaking havoc across the area.

"It's definitely cold," said Anthony Smith, who was working outside Friday.

RELATED: Winter Weather Advisory In Effect Overnight

Over the past 48 hours, it's been nonstop for Winstar Home Services.

"When the temperatures drop like this, we get a ton of no heat calls," said Talbot Watkins, president of Winstar Home Services.

The brutal cold is taking a firm hold on people's homes.

"You don't know if their heat is going to break at 5 a.m. or midnight, so you have to be prepared -- and that's what we do," said Watkins.

Something Watkins says the entire area needs to be prepared for.

"Your pipes can bust and freeze, and now you're talking about thousands of dollars in damage. The number one thing is preventative maintenance," he said.

On the roadways, the State Highway Administration is also being dealt an influx of calls.

"Out of gas, flat tires, dead batteries," said SHA worker Rick.

The frigid temperatures have Department of Public Works crews going head to head with Mother Nature, fixing pipe after pipe.

Spending hours out in the cold, it's a must to find ways to stay warm -- even if that means making a homemade fire.

"Basically, when it's real cold like this, you have to. If not, you're definitely going to freeze," said Anthony Smith.

With an icy mix expected over the next 24 hours, doctors are urging those outside not to let their guard down to frostbite.

"The tips of your ears, the tip of your nose, your chin, your fingers, your toes -- you want to have all those covered up," said Doctor Michelle Gourdine, Sinai Hospital.

Too much exposure to the cold air can leave you in a dire situation.

"If you begin to lose that sensation, you need to go to the emergency room immediately," Dr. Gourdine said.

AAA Mid-Atlantic says they dealt with nearly 7,000 service calls Thursday and around 6,000 on Friday -- all due to the cold weather.

Both Baltimore County and Baltimore City schools have canceled all activities before noon Saturday due to the cold weather.

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