baby, it's cold outside

[rmd]

i have to admit, i'm glad i read this as spring is on the horizon and the weather's getting warmer.
an article about hypothermia

Comments

[lil-brown-bat.livejournal.com]

I used to work with a guy who nearly died of hypothermia just off route 128, near Route 2. His car broke down, late in the evening...still some traffic so he could have stayed with the car. Instead he saw the lights of a house across the field and started walking. Dress shoes, dress pants, dress coat...he nearly didn't make it.

My dad taught me to always have an emergency kit in my car in winter, which includes sleeping bag, spare blanket, food, candle lantern, plus of course sand and a shovel, and always adequate clothing. I've never needed it, but I always carry it.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

i'm not sure my dad explicitly taught me, but i grew up knowing that one of the things you keep in the car trunk in winter is a coat. and i'm boggled at people who don't have a shovel in their car in winter.

i forget, have you read deep survival (http://www.deepsurvival.com/)?

[cz_unit]

That's pretty bad, but also good to know what happens. If I'm in that kind of situation I'll try to remember not to take a nap or stop, no matter what the cost.

CZ

[lil-brown-bat.livejournal.com]

Stopping and taking a nap is definitely to be avoided (and I've been in a situation where I knew I simply had to keep moving in order to keep my body temp up...last time I'll make that mistake, believe me), but better yet is not letting it get to that point, because if you do, you're in pretty bad trouble. "Hypothermia is a brain injury," as one of my old trainers used to say. Hypothermia makes you stupid, which is why people generally read accounts of someone who died of hypothermia and say, "Wow, how could he be so stupid?"

If you've got to be out in conditions that can cause hypothermia (wet, windy, cold), dress right, carry extra food, make sure your gear is in good order and monitor yourself for the slightest signs of heat loss. Stay dry, keep moving and keep consuming calories. I do a lot of solo hiking, and one of my standard kit items is a tiny solid fuel stove, a canteen cup and a package of Jello -- that, or I carry a thermos with Jello made up at half strength with boiling water. It's hot, it's liquid, it's got sugar and it can save your life.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

check out the book deep survival" (http://www.deepsurvival.com/). it looks at some of why people act as they do during crisis and survival situations.

[clara-girl.livejournal.com]

jesus.

i feel cold just reading about it.