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Hypothermia Death

Good info.

I've never gone through the ice, though living in WI there were incidents in the news every year. Often snowmobilers, but fishermen, too.

The closest I've come is a kayak capsize a mile offshore in Puget Sound. Even in those conditions (~45-48 degree water, basic farmer john bib wetsuit), I became pretty useless very quickly. Your fingers and feet just go away, and the brain isn't far behind. I had the right gear and people around me who knew how to help, but it was an eye-opener.
 
Way back when, I, along with a group of other people, had the effects of hypothermia demonstrated rather forcefully.

We were trying to be accepted (it was called indoc phase) into an organization. It was actually a pretty simple procedure: we were made to lie, fully dressed, in water for for two hours (seemed like two days), then come out and try to accomplish simple tasks involving children’s toys. The toys were meant for toddlers: you know the kind; put shapes (stars, rectangles, circles, etc.) into a matching board, and to stack various size rings in size order on a little pole. Pretty simple stuff, right? Well, the first time we tried it, it was exceedingly difficult: the cold water had made us so numb that our motor skills had suffered tremendously, and our thought processes had slowed down as well. We then donned a heavy pack, ran a couple of miles, then repeated the entire process (back in the water, and start over). We did that three times. At the end, only four of us (out of twenty-nine) were left to go further in the testing: the others had either quit or were dropped.

By the third time we came out of the water, it was taking us an incredibly long time to complete the tasks: neither mind nor body was functioning correctly. Hell, we didn't even know who we were anymore.

Did all this take place in some frozen lake somewhere? No, it took place in the surf and on the beach in sunny Southern California, in September. The water at that time of year is probably 50 to 60 degrees F., and the air temperature was probably in the high 60’s or low 70’s. Were we in actual danger of dying from this at the time? No, we were monitored pretty closely, but it pounded home the effects of simple hypothermia.

Now think of what happens when you fall into icy freezing water on a day where the air temperature is maybe just above freezing, and there’s any kind of wind at all. That’s right: your body’s going to try to shut down. Assuming you can even pull yourself out of the water, your chances of survival are very slim, unless you have someone there to help. You, yourself, will probably be incapable of the mental or physical things that would be necessary to save your life.

What’s the moral of this story, boys and girls? Take precautions. Take a friend. Think about how to get warm before you venture onto the ice.
 
Hypothermia in Alaska was very common when I was young. I remember going ice fishing and seeing all the shacks setup. Alot of the guys had those little heater packets that you rub to get hot and put in your gloves or shoes. Those little packets are really warm! I would probably add those to the list of ice fishing gear.

Another thing I remember is that Hypothermia is a trickster. It actually fools you into thinking your hot. Often, ice climbers or hikers suffering from hypothermia will remove clothing or unzip, thinking they are actually really hot, when only makes matters worse. This is a dangerous stage of moderate-severe hypothermia....

Reheating from hypothermia is another issue. Doing it too fast or too hot can cause arrythmias and convulsing.

Immersion Hypothermia, from cold waters, is also interesting. There are accounts of people fully recovering once the body was reheated, after they were declared dead from cardiac arrest, as the cold prevents internal damage from lack of air or blood!:eek:

Although I will say, I have some Scandinavian friends that seem un-phased by cold waters! Lucky! I have seen pictures of men in Scandinavia with only swimming trunks and a hatchet in the middle of a frozen lake, chopping a line through so they can do their daily laps!

Check this guy out! I think genetics and exposure training can be quite useful!
ice-swimmer_belarus.jpg


BTW Doc, thanks for the book suggestion!:D
 
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You've seen pictures if guys in swimsuits with a hatchet, yet you post one with a guy who's naked? :p


Reheating too quickly from hypothermia can also change things in the opposite direction, and the victim can end up with heatstroke.
 
Playing around ice is a very dangerous situation, like bushman said, some precautions should be taken. if your just crossing a lake, I would suggest not going to far out, but with that you have to be very weary of streams and the like going in, or out of the lake.

But that article the OP found, thats just like limminies serious of unfortunate events. A bunch of things adding up to one horrible incident. No one with you around Ice is very bad, knowing your going to be there and not having a fire going, is an obviously bad thing as well.

But again, thats how crap happens, you do one thing many many times, get comfy with it and forget the dangers that are involved.
 
Ever had one of those "it seemed like a good idea at the time" experiences? Well, some are fatal. Be careful, guys.
 
hypo can occur with temp as high as 52 degrees. extended exeration for long period in damp &windy weather without enough clothes & food snacks to replenish energy can lead to danger. 1st signs are confusion & weakness. need to stop build fire & shealter if possible.if body core drops below 95 degrees you are in serious trouble. if effecting a rescue & person is incoherent, you need to bring body heat up externally. a ship crew was pulled from icy h2o & were hypothermic, captain poured hot liquids into them & every man died. once in oregon i had to spend nite in rain at 48 degrees, was trying to walk out & when i started to really tire i stopped & got in brush. spent nite in a ball on my knees. by conserving body heat made it to morning, was walking when dept. of interior picked me up & took me to a ride.
 
DennisStrickland said:
hypo can occur with temp as high as 52 degrees. extended exeration for long period in damp &windy weather without enough clothes & food snacks to replenish energy can lead to danger. 1st signs are confusion & weakness. need to stop build fire & shealter if possible.if body core drops below 95 degrees you are in serious trouble. if effecting a rescue & person is incoherent, you need to bring body heat up externally. a ship crew was pulled from icy h2o & were hypothermic, captain poured hot liquids into them & every man died. once in oregon i had to spend nite in rain at 48 degrees, was trying to walk out & when i started to really tire i stopped & got in brush. spent nite in a ball on my knees. by conserving body heat made it to morning, was walking when dept. of interior picked me up & took me to a ride.
Click to expand...

And You were lucky to make it out. As you point out, it doesn't have to be 40 below 0 to get hypothermia.
 
Good point. If I recall correctly, I read about the tragic hypothermia death of an Army Ranger trainee at temps well above 52. I believe he was doing swamp training in Florida and even though the air temp was relatively comfy, enough strenuous exertion time immersed in water in the 60s/70s can do one in. If the water is significantly below normal body temp. it may eventually create a dangerous situation even if it doesn't seem to feel particularly cold.

DancesWithKnives
 
Although it's tempting as an easy way through the forest, don't hike/snowshoe on moving water (stream, etc.) covered by snow.

The snow acts as an insulator, and the unfrozen running water melts the ice underneath the snow. You will never see it, but the ice will be gone underneath, leaving only the snow.
 
Fubarski said:
Although it's tempting as an easy way through the forest, don't hike/snowshoe on moving water (stream, etc.) covered by snow.

The snow acts as an insulator, and the unfrozen running water melts the ice underneath the snow. You will never see it, but the ice will be gone underneath, leaving only the snow.
Click to expand...

The additional problem is that water levels can rise and fall, so that even if the ice is thick,
the water level may not be there to support the ice, and you go through.
 
ice-swimmer_belarus.jpg


Now this photo has "caption contest" written all over it! :D

As in "Bjorn was not happy withe the seal that stole his clothes!"
 
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