Cold Weather Survival

PrepareNowStore.com 2/17/2015 (second of two articles)

In my first article I talked about the four basic principles of keeping warm.

1. Keep Clothing Clean
2. Avoid overheating
3. Wear Clothing Loose And In Layers
4 Keep Clothing Dry

I also talked about the importance of good hygiene and the dangers of frostbite. To recap, mild frostbite involves only skin that takes on a dull whitish color. Deep frostbite extends deep below the skin. Feet, hands, and exposed facial areas are usually the first areas affected by frostbite. A person with frostbite needs professional medical attention ASAP.

If you can’t get to a doctor immediately:

• Get the person to a warm place and remove any wet clothing.
• Unless absolutely necessary, the person should not walk on frostbitten toes or feet.
• Do not rewarm the skin until you can keep it warm. Warming and then re-exposing the frostbitten area to cold air can cause worse damage.
• Gently warm the area in warm water (not hot) or with wet heat until the skin appears red and warm.
• If no water is nearby, breathe on the area through cupped hands and hold it next to your body.
• Do not use direct heat from heating pads, radiator, or fires.
• Do not rub or massage the skin or break blisters.

• Loosely apply dry, sterile dressings.
• Put gauze or clean cotton balls between fingers or toes to keep them separated.

Then get the person to a doctor as fast as you possibly can.

Now let’s move on to Hypothermia.

Hypothermia

The initial symptom of hypothermia is shivering. Then you shiver to the point that you can't control it which is your body trying to produce heat to warm itself. Sluggish thinking comes next. After that some hypothermia victims get a feeling of warmth. You feel warm but at this point you must warm yourself or you will die. Warming brings the pain back which you have to endure to survive. Otherwise, death comes at around 77 degree core body temperature. Hypothermia victims must be warmed slowly because there is a real risk of cardiac arrest and rewarming shock. Never force an unconscious or semi-conscious person to drink.

Trench Foot

Trench foot occurs after long periods of exposure to damp conditions at temperatures just above freezing. There is a sensation of pins and needles, tingling, numbness, and then pain. The skin will appear wet, white and shriveled. If the feed are not warmed and dried, the feet will swell and the skin will turn red and then bluish or black. Walking will be difficult and the feet will feel heavy and numb. In extreme cases, the flesh dies and it may become necessary to have the foot or leg amputated. This is why we make so much out of keeping your feet dry. If you can only take one piece of clothing as you bug out, grab a pair of dry shocks.

Dehydration

Your need for water is as great in a cold weather as in hot weather. One trusted method to tell if you are dehydrated is to check the color of your urine. Dark urine means dehydration.

Snow Blindness

Snow blindness is caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays reflecting off of snow. The symptoms are a sensation of grit in the eyes, pain in and over the eyes that increases with eyeball movement, red eyes, and a headache that intensifies with continued exposure to light. Continued exposure to these bright snowy conditions will result in permanent eye damage. The easiest way to prevent snow blindness is to wear good sunglasses. To treat snow blindness, bandage the eyes until the symptoms disappear. Then make a set of eye patches with a hole just big enough to see through. This is how old Arctic explorers did it.

SHELTERS

Building a shelter is a critical skill to surviving in cold weather.

In a survival situation smaller is better when it comes to building a temporary shelter. The shelter should be no larger than needed so that it is easier to heat. Be sure your shelter has some ventilation especially if you intend to build a fire in it. Not sleeping directly on the ground or putting your sleeping bag in direct contact with the ground is one of the most important rules of winter survival. Trying to sleep directly on the ground without an insulating layer of leaves or some other material is guaranteed to put your survival at risk.

When sleeping in a shelter with a heater, always be aware of carbon monoxide. It is colorless and odorless. Even in a ventilated shelter, incomplete combustion can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Often, there are no symptoms until it’s too late.

Snow Cave Shelter

Snow caves make effective shelters because snow is a good insulator and wind screener. Keep the roof arched for strength and to allow melted snow to drain down the sides. Build the sleeping platform higher than the doorway and keep away from the cave's walls.

FIRE

Fire has been a key to winter survival since the beginning of time. When choosing wood, remember that some wood burns easier than others. For example, wood that contains resin and tar such as Pine creates more smoke than wood from deciduous trees but is easier to light. So pine would be the choice to get a fire started but then switch to hardwoods for less smoke and longer burns. For heating purposes, a single candle or a small fire the size of your hand can keep you warm in an enclosed shelter.

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