It Doesn't Have to Be Freezing Outside for Someone to Get Hypothermia

When hypothermia is mentioned, I think a specific scene pops into most people's heads.

Snowstorm. Negative wind chill. Somebody stuck out in the cold for hours.

Yep. That will get you hypothermia.

But you don’t need a snowstorm.

You don’t even need cold weather really.

You can get hypothermia in rain or snow. Sleet. Lightning storms.

If someone gets wet and can’t get dry, or can’t warm back up… that’s a problem.

And I know what you’re thinking. People get wet all the time during outdoor events!

Which is exactly why we want to talk about this as we approach the colder, wetter months.

Hypothermia doesn’t care how fancy your event tents are.

Hypothermia is cold body temperature.

Not air temperature.

Here are 4 things to know about Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when your body can’t produce heat faster than it’s losing it.

In medical terms that means your core body temperature drops below 95° F.

Cold air contributes.

Wind contributes.

But water moves it along much faster.

Wet clothing draws heat away from the body.

Someone who has been sweating can easily become chilled when they stop moving.

OSHA actually says hypothermia can happen in temperatures above 40° F as long as someone becomes chilled by rain, sweat, or immersion in cold water.

Cold and Wet are a Bad Combo

Rain does not instantly equal hypothermia. But it can lead to it.

If someone cannot get dry, or cannot warm back up, they can rapidly become too cold.

Pay attention to shivering

Shivering is your body trying to warm itself up. If someone is cold and starting to shiver, take notice.

Get them out of the cold/rain/snow.

Get them somewhere warm.

Get them dry.

Put on more layers.

Do something before they start to get dangerously cold.

It can be easy to wait until someone looks or “acts really sick” before we take cold exposure seriously.

That saying someone “doesn’t look too good” might not happen until late.

Early signs of hypothermia include:

• Shivering

• Clumsy hands

• Trouble with fine motor skills (buttoning a coat, using a cell phone, etc)

• Fatigue

• Poor Decision Making

If someone seems confused, clumsy, exhausted, or is slurring their words, you can assume their body temperature is low.

Start warming them up, and get help.

Speaking of help…

Call for backup if you see these signs of serious hypothermia:

• Confusion or disorientation

• Slurred speech

• Poor coordination

• Trouble walking

• Excessive sleepiness

• Unresponsiveness

Hypothermia causes the body temperature to drop. This includes your brain temperature.

Someone with hypothermia might not recognize they’re too cold.

Or in serious condition.

They may insist that “they are fine.”

They may want to keep walking.

They may refuse help.

Offering assistance to someone who is confused can be tough.

If possible, GET HELP.

If you see someone you know has been cold and wet suddenly confused, clumsy, uncharacteristically sleepy, or unable to talk clearly, call for backup.

You can still provide first aid while you wait for help to arrive.

I’ll cover some do’s and don'ts of warming someone up below.

First, let’s review how to recognize hypothermia and what to do if you think someone has hypothermia.

How to Help Someone with Hypothermia

If you think someone has hypothermia, get them out of the cold/wet environment if possible.

Move them somewhere warm.

Handle them gently.

Remove wet clothing and replace with dry clothing when possible.

Cover them with dry blankets, coats, sleeping bags, towels, jackets, ponchos, whatever insulating material you can find.

Cover head/neck. Leave face uncovered.

Focus on warming core body first. Hands and feet can wait.

Do NOT aggressively warm hands and feet.

If person is alert and able to swallow- try giving them warm sweetened drinks.

DO NOT give alcohol.

If person is experiencing moderate to severe hypothermia (see list above) call 911.

If person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, follow 911 dispatcher’s instructions. Begin CPR if directed.

DON’T Boil Them Alive

Our instincts when someone is cold may be to “just warm them up.”

In emergencies, we want things FIXED. Now.

But if someone is chilled and starting to get cold, or you think they might be developing hypothermia:

• Don’t dunk someone in hot water.

• Don’t push them near a fire.

• Don’t place a heating pad or hot pack directly against their skin.

Gradual warming is your friend.

If using warm packs or bottles, wrap them so they aren’t directly touching skin.

Again, focus on warming core body first.

WARM is your friend. HOT is not.

Hypothermia is NOT Frostbite.

Frostbite is the actual freezing of body tissue.

Where hypothermia refers to core body temperature. Frostbite affects specific areas of the body.

Fingers, toes, ears, nose are the big ones.

Someone can have frostbite WITHOUT hypothermia.

Someone can have both.

Early signs of frostbite include:

• Numbness

• Skin that feels unusually firm or waxy

• Loss of color in the affected areas

If you think someone has frostbite, protect the area and handle gently.

DO NOT rub the affected area.

This can cause more damage.

(This goes for hypothermia too.)

Get them to a warm place you can carefully begin to rewarm the affected areas.

Doctors will sometimes advise NOT to rewarm frostbite if there is a risk it will freeze again.

Which is much harder to do than you think- which is why medical care is important.

Damp vs Dry Cold

THIS is what I want people participating in outdoor events, outreach, camping trips, hiking, urban camping to remember.

Damp is WAY worse than you think.

Dry cold- your body loses heat.

But it can often hold up for a few hours until you get back inside.

Damp wets your clothing

Wicks away heat from your body.

Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air does.

Which means your body LOSES heat faster.

Add windy weather to the mix and you’ve got a bad situation brewing.

Like I said before- imagine it’s 48 degrees out. You didn’t bring a coat because 48 doesn’t SOUND cold.

Then it rains.

You’re stuck outside for hours.

You got soaked through your sweatshirt.

Suddenly that nice fall day is a much different exposure scenario.

Cold and wet just happen more often than cold and dry.

Do not forget your volunteers and outdoor workers.

Remember how I said hypothermia doesn’t care how nice your tents are at outdoor events?

The same thing applies to your volunteers.

Your security team.

Your vendors.

Your medics.

Chances are SOMEONE will be cold.

Volunteers or staff who have been standing at a booth for two hours straight are not going to experience cold weather the same way as the attendee who parked next to the entrance and walked from their car to the registration table.

If you’re planning an outdoor event during cooler months, consider:

• Length of time people will be outside.

• Do attendees/vendors/staff have the ability to take breaks indoors?

• Are there warm areas people can sit to take a break?

• Is there access to dry clothes if someone gets wet?

• What will you do if rain/snow begins?

• Are your warming areas accessible to everyone?

• Who is monitoring the weather?

• At what point will you MODIFY, PAUSE, or Cancel your event?

Cold weather safety plans should take INTO ACCOUNT that your staff will be outside too.

Winter Wear Isn’t Equal

Part of this also talks about people who don’t always have a lot of choices about staying warm.

Not everyone can just go home when they get cold.

If someone is homeless and spending the night outdoors, they can’t go home to grab an extra sweater.

Someone waiting on the bus may have to stand out longer than they wanted.

Wheelchair users may not be able to move around (thus generating heat).

Someone may not realize how cold they’re getting.

There are medical conditions that cause some people to be more sensitive to cold.

Or less able to escape the cold when it gets too low.

Other people may not have extra clothes or blankets to wear or use.

Not everyone has the same ability to combat cold weather.

When providing first aid in your community, don’t assume everyone has the same resources as you might.

Treat the person in front of you.

Medicine doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

Your Outside Event doesn’t need to have hypothermia

This is my biggest point.

If someone is shivering, soaking wet, and miserable…

You do NOT need to wait until they’re shivering uncontrollably and confused before you decide it’s cold.

Stop talking to them outside.

Move them inside.

Give them something dry to wear.

Find the extra blanket.

Help them.

If you wait for someone to reach medical-emergency status with hypothermia- you waited too long.

Cold Weather Safety

Changes is amazing things.

Layers

Wear hats.

Wear gloves.

Cover up those extremities.

Remember that Heat CAN build up during cold-weather events too.

You don’t want to SWALLOW anybody who gets too warm- but allowing folks to remove layers as they need is just as important.

Have a place people can go to warm-up if they get too cold.

Make sure they know where it is.

Have folks periodically check in with staff and volunteers during outdoor events to ensure nobody is experiencing hypothermia.

Continue to monitor weather conditions as your event progresses.

Have a PLAN for inclement weather should it arise.

Does your event have poor drainage? Rain may come as a bigger issue than cold temperatures.

Wind? Cold winds can contribute to chill factor as well.

Be mindful of where your attendees are coming from as they arrive.

If they’re walking from a parking area that’s several blocks away, they may get cold waiting for the event to start.

Gear Changes Things Too

Rain gear helps.

Wear appropriate clothing for the conditions if you will be outside for extended periods of time.

Sunscreen is important in the winter too!

Sunscreen.

Bug spray.

Emergency weather can strike at ANY TIME of the year.

Winter Safety Starts BEFORE Winter

This weather app might say it’s 55 degrees out and sunny.

But if rain is coming. Or storming. People who are already cold and wet can develop hypothermia much more quickly.

Monitoring weather leading up to your event, and encouraging people to DRESS appropriately for changing conditions, can help head hypothermia off at the pass.

Layer rain gear over clothing if rain is coming.

Replace wet clothing with dry when possible.

Add extra blankets to emergency kits.

The same way we prepare indoors for heat emergencies, we should have plans for cold-weather emergencies as well.

Please note: This article is for educational purposes only. It does not replace hands-on training, personalized medical care from a doctor, or calling emergency services (911) in an emergency.