WINTER SUVIVAL

HYPOTHERMIA

• Hypothermia is when the core temperature drops below 35 degrees Celsius
• The normal human body temperature is 37 degrees Celsius
• If core temperature drops to 32 degrees hypothermia can be life threatening

SYMPTOMS

• Cold and uncontrollable shivering
• Person might feel exhausted and their skin may be cool and pale
• As hypothermia gets worse the person can get confused, they can have slurred speech, unsteady walk, and drowsiness.
• The person might not know that they have hypothermia
• At the worst stage the person might seem dead

WHO IS AT RISK

• People over 75 years
• Babies and young children
• People with poor circulation or diabetes
• People with chronic physical or mental disabilities
• People with a underlying infection
• People who are very thin and have low body fat
• People who work outdoors
• People who are homeless
• People who are wet for any cause

HOW IS IT PREVENTED?

• Listen to the weather forecast
• Plan ahead: limit the amount of time you spend outside, keep recess breaks inside, make a time for outdoor workers to come inside
• Dress warmly in layers
• Stay dry
• Get out of the cold if you start feeling cold
• Certain medications can increase the chances of hypothermia
• Hypothermia can occur at home
• Children can become colder faster because they don't have much muscle mass

How Is It Diagnosed

• Diagnosis can be made by measuring the core temperature with a special thermometer
• Mild hypothermia: 32-35 degrees celcius
• Severe hypothermia: 32 degrees celcius

How Is It Treated

• Call 911
• Move the person out of the cold
• Remove wet clothing
• Warm the person at the core of their body
• Do not use direct heat
• Do not massage or rub the person
• Keep the person still
• If the person is awake give them warm drinks
• Never assume the person is dead

FIRE BUILDING

• Find small dead twigs to use as kindling
• Collect other branches of any size to help keep the fire going
• Make a tepee starting with the kindling in the center and having some smaller branches on top
• Figure out a way to get the fire going with either a match, a lighter, or another way
• Before you start the fire dig out a pit so the snow doesn't melt and put the fire out
• Make a platform to keep the fire off the ground
• Collect something to put the fire out in case the fire gets out of hand and to put it out once you don't need it anymore

HOW TO BUILD A SHELTER

• Find a place to build your shelter, preferably a spot sort of close to water but still far enough away that the water doesn't affect you.
• Another tip on finding a place is some thing that will support your shelter.
• Find sticks and branches with leaves to build your shelter.
• The leaves will help you to stay dry by blocking out the rain and wind.
• Create your fire nearby.

FOOD FACTS

• Roots and berries are good things to eat as long as you know what is good to eat
• Animals are another good thing to eat if you can catch them
• You can also eat most bugs
• One of the first things for you to do if you know you are lost is to find a source of food and water
• If there is a stream or river near you, you can go fishing
• Bird eggs are a good source of food also
• If you are eating meat make sure you cook it all the way through so you don't get food poisoning

HYDRATION

• You can only survive 1-2 days without water
• If you know you will be in the wilderness you should buy some sort of water purifying contraption
• Never drink sea water or urine
• You can also collect moisture from leaves to drink
• Ways to purify your water: boiling it, filtering it, you can use tincture of iodine to clean it up, you can use UV lights, and solar power
• Don't save all of it, just drink it, people have died with water on their person

WHAT TO PUT IN A FIRST AID KIT

• Band aids
• Water purifying device
• Hand sanitizer
• Any medications and medicine like cold remedies and painkillers
• Creams for burn and dry skin
• Some tools such as a pocket knife, matches and duct tape
• A flash light and batteries
• Bring other things that you might need such as a epi-pen or vitamins. If itis going to be sunny, bring sunscreen and lip balm with sunscreen in it

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING