IMO - Cold Water Survival Circular - DEC 2012

[lenseman]

A recently released and updated document on cold water survival:

http://www.brymar-consulting.com/wp-content/uploads/Misc/MSC1Circ1185a.pdf


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[nimbusgb]

Thanks for that. Worthwhile reminder and update.

 

[oldbilbo]

Thanks for that. Copied....

 

[oldgit]

+1

 

[capnsensible]

Excellent. If you want to see the effects of cold shock under strict medical supervision, here:

http://www.coldwaterbootcamp.com/pages/home.html

 

[bikedaft]

But no mention of how to avoid the initial rapid breathing - by sticking your head in cold water 6-12 monthly, see essentials of sea survival by Tipton and golden. It does work (ok so I like swimming)

 

[prv]

It seems to say you shouldn't try to warm people who have stopped shivering. I wish it gave some hint as to why.

Pete

 

[Thistle]

It seems to say you shouldn't try to warm people who have stopped shivering. I wish it gave some hint as to why.

Pete

Shivering stops when hypothermia starts, ie when the core temperature has started to fall. If you start external heating in such a case you start by dilating the surface blood vessels which then take more warm blood from the core causing further cooling.

 

[prv]

Shivering stops when hypothermia starts, ie when the core temperature has started to fall. If you start external heating in such a case you start by dilating the surface blood vessels which then take more warm blood from the core causing further cooling.

Makes sense.

I know in hospital they give warmed intravenous drips (or even fluid directly into the space between the organs, I think I read somewhere) to warm up from the inside out. Presumably us non-medical folks can give warm drinks (assuming conscious casualty) as a best effort equivalent?

Pete

 

[uxb]

But no mention of how to avoid the initial rapid breathing - by sticking your head in cold water 6-12 monthly, see essentials of sea survival by Tipton and golden. It does work (ok so I like swimming)

OK! So there is an advantage to being a **** surfer.

 

[gasdave]

Makes sense.

I know in hospital they give warmed intravenous drips (or even fluid directly into the space between the organs, I think I read somewhere) to warm up from the inside out. Presumably us non-medical folks can give warm drinks (assuming conscious casualty) as a best effort equivalent?

Pete

One of the dangers of body surface "active" rewarming, as opposed to "passive" (where one simply applies appropriate dry warm insulation to the casualty) is that in more severe hypothermia the skin and peripheral tissues will have considerably reduced their blood supply. This is to divert circulation away from the surface to the vital organs and also to reduce further heat loss. If you then proceed to actively apply heat you introduce the risk of burn injury as the skin and surface tissues are unable to dissipate the heat away. Forced warm air techniques are safer in this respect but obviously not always practical outside of a hospital.

If you're going to give warm drinks then glucose containing drinks are better - to replace energy stores used up by shivering.