Recognizing and Treating Hypothermia

Exposure kills faster than hunger or thirst, which is why survival priorities put shelter near the top. Hypothermia, an abnormally low body temperature, sets in when you lose heat faster than you make it. It is not only a winter danger: being chilled by rain, sweat or cold water can bring it on even at cool temperatures, above 40°F.

Warning signs

• Adults: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness.
• Infants: bright red, cold skin and very low energy.

Confusion is the dangerous part: people with hypothermia often don’t realize it. Watch each other.

What to do

Hypothermia is a medical emergency. If you can, take the person’s temperature: below 95°F (35°C), get medical help immediately. If help is not available:

1. Get them somewhere warm, out of wind and wet.
2. Remove wet clothing.
3. Warm the center of the body first (chest, neck, head and groin) with blankets, dry layers, skin-to-skin contact under loose dry wraps, or an electric blanket if you have power.
4. Warm, non-alcoholic drinks can help if the person is fully alert. Never give drinks to someone who is not.
5. Keep them dry and wrapped, head and neck included, even after their temperature rises.
6. If there’s no breathing or pulse, start CPR and continue until help arrives.

Prevention

Dress in layers, stay dry, change out of wet clothing, eat and drink enough, and get out of the wind early. In a winter power outage, gather everyone into one small room, but never heat with a generator, grill or gas oven indoors: see carbon monoxide.

Cold also damages skin directly: see frostbite.