In the wake of that poor man freezing to death trying to save his family, the New York Times was awesome enough to print a guide to recognizing and protecting yourself from hypothermia.
How to avoid it:
When in the cold, stay dry: cold water accelerates heat loss 25-fold.
Have a windproof layer: wind will whisk the heat away from your body.
Keep old people in 70 degree heat: they, like babies don't have the ability to shiver and keep warm. Babies also have a high surface area to body mass ratio, making them extra volnerable.
Stay sober, alcohol is somehow bad, even though it may make you feel warm.
Mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves.
How to recognize it:
Signs to look for include: confusion or sleepiness; slowed, slurred speech; shallow breathing; weak pulse; stiffness of the arms or legs; poor control of body movements; and slowed reactions.
What to do about it:
Tragically, there are other things to try before getting naked in a sleeping bag.
A person suffering from hypothermia must be gradually rewarmed, essentially from the inside out. Remove the victim's wet or cold clothing and wrap the person in layers of dry, warm clothes or blankets. Apply warm (not hot) compresses to the neck, chest wall and groin area.
Then, if nothing else is available, try transferring your body's heat to the victim: remove your clothes and lie naked against the naked victim, covering both of you with whatever is available. Be sure to cover the victim's head.
Do not use direct heat, like hot water, a heating pad or heat lamp, to warm the victim. Do not rub the victim's arms or legs, which can send cold blood to vital organs and make matters worse. If the person is conscious and able to swallow, provide something warm to drink. But never give beverages containing alcohol or caffeine, which can increase heat loss.
Keep the victim awake and handle the person gently. Avoid moving the victim except for safety reasons or to gain shelter.
And don't assume someone found motionless in the cold is already dead. Many victims of hypothermia can be revived.
If you do get stuck in a car in the cold, here is what to do (some of it makes no sense to me):
Remove anything you might need from the trunk and get back in the vehicle. While seated, move your arms and legs often to maintain circulation and generate warmth. Run the motor with the heater on for 10 minutes once every hour, leaving one window open slightly (but first make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked).
There you have it. Be careful
Posted by bluprnt at January 24, 2007 05:58 PM