Extreme Cold Survival Tips

I’m stuck in a freaking ice storm that just hosed a lot of the midwest. So, in the spirit of my environment, here are a few tips and tricks for not letting cold kill you.

Exertion – Be careful in extreme cold. Being a warm-blooded animal is a wonderful thing, but it’s a lot of hard work on your body’s part. When it’s cold outside it puts extra load on your heart. Work slowly and take lots of breaks.

Wind Chill – This is a truly wicked threat when temperatures start dropping. If it’s cold outside, but calm weather, then your body is able to heat the air immediately next to your skin and form a sort of “pocket” around you. When wind picks up, it can take heat away from the surface of your body very quickly.

Even if it’s only cool outside, high winds can mean serious health problems. Check out this chart by The Centers for Disease Control to see how fast you can get frostbite when falling temps and wind combine.

Stranded in a Car

• Tie something bright to the antenna as a signal to rescuers and raise the hood, if it is not snowing.
• Move anything you need from the trunk into the passenger area immediately so you don’t have to go out into the elements multiple times.
• Wrap your entire body, including your head, in extra clothing, blankets, or newspapers.
• Stay awake. You will be less vulnerable to cold-related health problems.
• Run the engine & heater for about 10 minutes/hour. Open one window slightly to let in air while doing this. Make sure that snow is not blocking the exhaust pipe—this will reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• As you sit, keep moving. It’ll improve your circulation and stay warmer.
• Do not eat unmelted snow because it will lower your body temperature and actually dehydrate you. The energy your body expends melting the snow inside you outweighs the benefit of the liquid produced.
• Huddle with other people to conserve body warmth.

Hypothermia – When your body is losing heat faster than it can make it. Symptoms include uncontrollable shivering, exhaustion, delirium, drowsiness, memory loss, slurred speech and bright red skin. This is a dangerous condition because the symptoms themselves can easily prevent self-diagnosis by the victim.

Treatment if professional medical care is not available:

• Get the victim into a warm room or shelter. (Out of the wind is paramount.)
• If the victim has on anything wet, remove it.
• Warm the center of the body first—chest, neck, head, and groin—using an electric blanket, if available. Or use skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothing, towels, or sheets.
• Warm beverages can help increase the body temperature, but do not give alcoholic beverages. Do not try to give beverages to an unconscious person.
• After body temperature has increased, keep the person dry and wrapped in a warm blanket, including the head and neck.
• Get medical attention as soon as possible.