-StateSouth
Carolina, SC
FIRST AID -- HYPOTHERMIA

                         FIRST AID -- HYPOTHERMIA
                   Jack W. Davis, Extension Safety Specialist

THIS INFORMATION WAS SUPPLIED BY DEANNA SPAULDING, A 4-HER IN THE SAFETY PROJECT.

Have you ever been bone chilling cold? If you have you may have experienced the beginning of Hypothermia.

Hypothermia is where the temperature inside your body starts to go down. If the inside body temperature goes below 99 degrees shivering will begin and become intense and uncontrollable.

If the temperature drops below 95 degrees, violent shivering will begin, and you will be unable to perform complex tasks. As the temperature continues to drop, your chances for survival become less and less. If the temperature inside your body goes below 78 degrees death will occur.

HYPOTHERMIA (CONT.) Whats scary is that you can get Hypothermia when the outside temperature is around 45 degrees, if the conditions are right Hypothermia will occur when heat is being lost from the body faster then the heat is being produced. There are three main factors that can cause this: coldness (though not necessarily extreme coldness), wetness due to rainfall, fog, snow, or falling in water. Also excessive sweating can be a factor; and the final factor wind. Have you ever heard of the Wind Chill factor? There are other factors, but these are the main ones.

If you or a friend begin to shiver and can't stop, you need to take immediate action. First prevent future heat loss, put on another sweater etc. or get close to some sort of heat source. If the clothes are wet, change clothes. Next, get some warm liquids into yourself or your friend.

HYPOTHERMIA (CONT.) The most important key to hypothermia is prevention. If you know you are going to be outside prepare for the cold. Wear clothes that you can take off easily if you will be working. This is to cut down on the amount of sweating that will take place. Then when you stop, don't wait until you get cold, go ahead and put your coat back on. If you get wet, change clothes. Remember to cover neck and head. It has been discovered by doctors that heat loss is so rapid from an un-protected neck and head that 50% of the bodies total heat production may be lost at 40 degrees. This may be why the old mountain people say "When your feet are cold,put on your hat." For more information about Hypothermia consult a good Backpacking book.

-END-

תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתThe National Dairy Database (1992)תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת\NDB\OCCSAFE\TEXT2\FILE1025תתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתתת

%f TITLE;FIRST AID -- HYPOTHERMIA
%f COLLECTION;FARM AND OPERATOR SAFETY
%f ORIGIN;South Carolina
%f DATE_INCLUDED;June 1992