Hypothermia is a dangerous condition involving low body temperature. It occurs when the body loses heat faster than it produces it, causing a dangerous drop in body temperature.
Some of the symptoms you may experience are: chills, slurred speech, slow breathing, weak pulse, poor coordination in movement, drowsiness or loss of energy, fainting (fainting), confusion, and memory loss.
How to avoid hypothermia during the winter storm
The United States National Library offers the following advice:
- Dress in layers: The key to staying safe in cold weather is to wear multiple layers of clothing. Wearing the right shoes and clothing helps keep your body heat trapped inside your clothing and protect you from cold air, wind, snow or rain.
- Complete protection: You need to protect your hands, feet, neck and face from the cold. Depending on the activity you are doing, you may need the following: hat, face mask, scarf, gloves, wool socks, and waterproof boots.
- Stay hydrated: In the cold you need food and liquids, as they are fuel for your body and to keep you warm. If you omit one or the other, you increase your risk of cold weather injuries like hypothermia and frostbite.
- Drink enough fluids: Before and during your activities in cold weather. You may not feel thirsty under these circumstances, but you still lose fluids through sweat and breathing.
- Includes carbohydrates: Eating foods with carbohydrates gives you energy quickly. If you’ll only be outdoors for a short period of time, it may be advisable to carry a cereal bar with you to keep your energy up.
- Avoid excess alcohol: Drinking alcohol when it is extremely cold can make you more prone to hypothermia.
Keep an emergency kit: Both at home and in your car you should have items that you might need to stay warm. This should include: a cigarette lighter, additional clothing, drinking water and canned food, batteries, flashlights, cell phone batteries.
How to help someone with hypothermia
If, despite taking all precautions, you feel that your body temperature, or that of someone you are with, is dropping too low, apply these measures:
- Don’t move it a lot, don’t massage it. Excessive, vigorous, or jarring movements can trigger cardiac arrest.
- Avoid the cold. You need to move or take the hypothermic person to a warm, dry place, if possible. If you cannot get out of that cold environment, try to be (or place the affected person) in a horizontal position.
- Cover yourself (or the affected person) with blankets. Use layers of dry blankets or coats to give (or receive) warmth. That includes covering the head, leaving only the face exposed.
- Avoid having the person’s body on the cold floor. If they are outside, lay the person down (or lie down) on their back on a blanket or other warm surface.
- You have to watch your breathing. A person with severe hypothermia may appear unconscious, with no apparent signs of a pulse or breathing. If breathing has stopped or appears dangerously low or shallow, you need to receive CPR immediately.
- Have something hot. A hot, sweet, non-alcoholic and caffeine-free drink to help warm the body.
- Use warm, dry compresses. A warm first aid compress (a plastic bag filled with liquid that warms when squeezed) or a makeshift warm water compress. It should be applied only to the neck, chest wall or groin, never to the legs or arms.
- Do not apply direct heat. Don’t use hot water, a heating pad, or a heating lamp to warm your body or someone else’s body. Extreme heat can damage the skin or, worse, cause irregular heartbeats so severe that they can cause the heart to stop.
If the condition does not improve, call 911 immediately.
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