First Aid - Hypothermia

• Prepare for the worst conditions and take extra clothing.
• Wear suitable clothing in cold weather; wind-proof and water-resistant clothing.
• Avoid overheating and sweating. Wear loose, layered clothing that "breathes". Cotton wets easily and dries slowly; wool is warm even when wet; and polypropylene and polyester are superior next to the skin.
• Avoid long-term cooling. Take tea breaks often when working to allow a chance to get out of the wind. DO NOT continue to work if you are getting seriously cold. If you try to tough it out, your judgement may fade before you realize it, and you may make other mistakes.
• Eat often to provide "fuel" for your "furnace". Sugars and starches work most quickly.
• Drink lots, but avoid alcohol, as it may speed cooling. Dehydration is a factor in most cases of exposure. Hot sweet drinks are best, but cold water is fine if nothing hot is available. DO NOT eat snow if you are cold.
• Keep your big muscles moving to create heat. If your fingers or toes are cold, wiggling them won't make them warm but exercising the large muscles of your arms and legs will. Swing your arms vigorously to warm your hands or put your hands in your armpits.
• Check your partners often. If they get clumsy, shiver, slur their speech, or act strangely, suspect exposure. Remember, they may not realize what is happening.

What to look for:

• Can answer questions intelligently
• Complains of being cold
• Is probably shivering
• May slur his words
• Has probably lost interest in what he is doing

What to do:

• Stop working
• Prevent any further loss of body heat
• Get him into shelter. If no shelter is available, get him out of the wind, cover their head and insulate them from the cold ground.
• Replace any wet or constricting clothing
• Allow shivering to continue as it is the most efficient way for the body to restore its temperature
• Give him food and/or sweet hot drinks
• DO NOT give him alcohol!
• Seek medical attention

First-aiders should be aware that active re-warming will probably turn off the shivering mechanism. Resist the pressure to use external heat sources. If the casualty is so cold that shivering has stopped, active re-warming is essential.

In the bush, heat loss may be temporarily slowed by wrapping the person in plastic bags or tarps as well as sleeping bags or clothing. These stop wind chill and some evaporative loss.

Warmth may be provided by almost any means to correct mild hypothermia. Skin-to-skin contact, while not very effective, may be the only choice when there is little other warmth to be found. If you use hot-water bottles or heat packs, use them with great caution. They must be wrapped in several layers of cloth to prevent burning the casualty.

What to look for:

• Is confused and illogical
• Doesn't want to move much, may be sleepy
• May leave clothes open, take them of
  Is clumsy and stumbles
• Stops shivering
• Shows signs of muscle stiffness
• Has slow breath and pulse rates
• May have a fruity odour to breath
• May have dilated pupils
• May urinate in clothing

What to do:

• Treat same as for mild exposure, except;
• DO NOT give fluids to drink until he is wide awake and understands what is going on. Because he is uncoordinated, he may choke on fluids.
• NEVER handle anyone in moderate or severe exposure roughly, or allow him to move much, because his heart will be very sensitive and may start fibrillating with fatal results.

This winter, make sure you're dressed to the nines when you step outside. Nine layers of clothing, that is. OK, maybe it doesn't take a full nine layers of clothing to keep you warm and safe from winter's harsh chill. However, wearing at least a few layers of the proper kind of fabrics is essential to your comfort and well-being.

That's especially true for outdoor workers who spend a lot of time outside in the cold months. They're at risk for hypothermia, a condition in which your body temperature drops because it's losing more heat than it can replace.

Hypothermia causes a gradual reduction in physical and mental functioning that may go unnoticed until it's too late. A person suffering hypothermia can become increasingly confused, sleepy, unreasonable and clumsy. Undetected and untreated, hypothermia can cause death.

Don't think you're safe just because you put on a heavy coat. Layering your clothing is a more effective way to prevent hypothermia. Multiple layers of thinner clothing provide better insulation and help reduce the loss of body heat.

Select the appropriate fabrics as the inner layers next to your skin. Cotton is a bad choice. It holds sweat, and becomes cold and clammy. Instead, choose polypropylene and other synthetic fabrics that move moisture away from your skin.

Here are some other recommendations:

• Wool is the best material to wear when it's cold. Wear it over your inner layers of synthetic fabrics.
• Wear a hat. You can lose 70 percent of your body heat through your head.
• Gloves and mittens also conserve your precious body heat.
• Mittens keep your hands warmer.
• Wear roomy boots that let you layer your socks.
• Stay dry. Getting wet is a major factor in causing hypothermia and frostbite.