Cold Emergencies
HYPOTHERMIA
Mild- (body temp 90-95 degrees) earliest stages of hypothermia characterized by slurred speech or difficulty in speaking, cool skin and excessive shivering.
Moderate- (85-90 degrees) as body temperature drops victims become stuporous. Shivering will stop at about 89.0 degrees and will be replaced with muscular rigidity. Followed shortly by the loss of voluntary movement.
Severe- (less than 78 degrees) victims become unresponsive with irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest.
Cold Weather Tips
Limit your exposure. If you must go out do so during mid day when the sun is at it’s strongest and the temperature at it’s highest. Check on elderly neighbors and relatives.
CLOTHING- Wear several layers of clothing. Including a waterproof and or wind proof outermost layer. Also always wear a hat and gloves. Our head is a great source of heat loss for our body (30-40%). Ears and fingertips as well as noses are extremely susceptible to frost nip and frost bite.
DRINKING- Avoid Alcoholic beverages. Contrary to popular belief alcohol does not warm the body. In fact it has an opposite effect by causing vasodilatation and decreasing the bodies natural insulating properties. It also suppresses shivering, and impairs judgement.
Click here for more cold weather tips.
Who is most susceptible?
Very old- May be unaware of their limitations. Due to limited mobility may be forced to spend increased amount of time exposed to the cold weather due to slow ambulation.
Very young- Thermoregulatory system is still immature. Babies rely on adults for warmth.
Infirmed- Due to illness or injury can’t remove themselves from the cold source.
Stay Off the Ice
New Yorkers are warned against going onto or near the ice of
ponds and lakes. Determining the strength of ice is extremely
difficult, especially for an untrained individual. Ice must be
at least six inches thick before it can maintain the weight of
a person, and to freeze to the right thickness, the temperature
must be well below freezing for weeks. Read more...
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