Surviving cold weather dunking

N

North61

Joined
Mar 10, 2005
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ck out http://www.yahoo.com/ and go to the video link regarding three boys who survived a fall through the pond. The link will likely only be active today.

Basically one of the boys watched this Bear Gillis (sp) ladie-oh and so took off all his clothes as demonstrated by Bear and ran for help. He survived so now we have more of this "advice" getting out to the masses.

If you are wearing wool like you should, roll in the snow and use it as a blotter to reduce the soaking...and then go make a fire and dry out unless help is very close. This method should also work with fleece and synthetics. Good clothes have some insulating properties when wet.

If you are wearing all cotton and are a few hundred yards from help the above advice might be ok but will certainly shock the neighbors.:D In these conditions blotting the soaking clothes in snow and running for help might work as well and will improve your reception at the door especially if you are as fat as I am!

The problem with TV as media is that marginal advice becomes generalized and this could have deadly effects. Try shedding your clothes and heading for help in the NWT in January and that's the end of you!
 
Theres a neat show on Discovery channel Canada called "Guinea Pig".
They recently did an episode on exposure/survival of various cold/snow etc situations.
Heres the descriptive text-
"The aftermath of an avalanche is a chilling reminder of the risks we take when venturing into freezing environments. Taking on the cold, Ryan is plunged into ice water, belted into a sinking car and buried alive in the snow! How cool can one guy be?"
http://www.discoverychannel.ca/shows/episodedetails.aspx?eid=5710&sid=5705
Intro to show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn3Eh2bSmzg
heres some snippets on youtube, i don't see the cold episode there though.
http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...channel martial arts iron shirt&v=uctqMyTA6Dg
 
North61 said:
ck out http://www.yahoo.com/ and go to the video link regarding three boys who survived a fall through the pond.

If you are wearing all cotton and are a few hundred yards from help the above advice might be ok but will certainly shock the neighbors.:D In these conditions blotting the soaking clothes in snow and running for help might work as well and will improve your reception at the door especially if you are as fat as I am!

The problem with TV as media is that marginal advice becomes generalized and this could have deadly effects. Try shedding your clothes and heading for help in the NWT in January and that's the end of you!
Click to expand...

Where you live wet cotton would freeze quick and should be kept on. If it is just cold and wet you are better off naked.

Either way at your temps you are in serious trouble wool or not.

Skam
 
Bear says to immediately take off all your clothes, then wipe yourself with snow, then show your bum to the camera, (then--off camera of course-- have your crew dress you and take you to your president's suite for hot cocoa), then squeeze water from Ox shit, and then go diving in a cave in a glacier.
 
There is a scientist who produced a video which should be required viewing for every kid in school. He purposely walks out on an icy lake and breaks through, and explains what happens to your body. He then demonstrates how to get out - think flutter kick to get horizontal, then crawl. He does this all with a local rescue crew standing by and ready to go, just in case. It's really a fantastic video.

I think it's this one, but don't have time to check it right now.

http://www.exn.ca/video/?Video=exn20020325-icewater.asx

Ok, I checked it, it is the one. Make sure you watch this video. And your kids. And your grandkids. I forgot to mention, this is one tough guy!
 
I don't remember any shock going into 40-45 F water. My down vest gave a good bit of bouyancy .Only the 18 year old started to have problems of hypothermia.[It was his fault we took a swim ! ]
 
This happened a few miles from where I live. I'd been at that pond back in November with my daughter's Girl Scout troop for a nature hike.

They were damn lucky someone was jogging by.

At least the one kid admitted that playing on an icy pond wasn't a particulary smart thing to do!
 
The other day near Grand Forks ND a guy didn't make it. He was ice fishing when his car went through the ice. He had to swim to the edge of the break in the ice and he made it up on to the ice but it was windy and the chill factor was about -40. He froze to death after making it only a few yards. Don't mess with mother nature.
 
Doesn't make a lot of difference with the Buffalo gear I wear in winter. Canoeists reckon it's better than a wet-suit!

Years ago a guy was free climbing on a frozen waterfall in Scotland when the ice broke and he crashed into the frozen tarn beneath. Fortunately he still had both ice axes in his hands and he used them to power through the ice and get himself to the bank. He rolled around in the snow to get rid of the excess water, and was sat in the pub right as rain an hour later!
 
udtjim said:
The other day near Grand Forks ND a guy didn't make it. He was ice fishing when his car went through the ice. He had to swim to the edge of the break in the ice and he made it up on to the ice but it was windy and the chill factor was about -40. He froze to death after making it only a few yards. Don't mess with mother nature.
Click to expand...

There comes a point where your number is up, enjoy the ride.

Skam
 
A bit off topic, but does anyone remember the plane crash 15 or more years ago, New York I think it was (sorry for being so vague?) Plane had problems on take off, and then crashed into a bridge over the frozen river. There were people dying in the cold water, and this guy, just an ordinary guy, dived in and started pulling people out. Bravest thing I ever saw.
 
You can get some practical exposure to cold weather dunking and help a great charity out at the same time. This Sunday, I'm doing the Special Olympics Penguin Plunge for a 3rd time. You really learn your limit when you do this and at the end of the day you feel great knowing your tolerance and helping out this great cause in the process. Here are some pics from last year. Believe it or not, it is a lot of fun and really a festive event. It gives you a great excuse to act like a goofball and dress up or down in the name of fun!

Air Temp was 18 degrees and water temp was 33.

theholeintheice.jpg

Group1.jpg

GOGETEM.jpg

Group2.jpg

KevPostPlunge.jpg
 
There is a scientist who produced a video which should be required viewing for every kid in school
Click to expand...

That's 'Professor Popsicle' ! He's been doing this kind of stuff for years. When he can't pay students to sit in shorts and t shirts in an ice cold shower while their vitals are monitored, he just just does it himself. He's become a bit of an icon - maybe not a Stompin' Tom or Don Cherry, but.....
 
Jack Black said:
A bit off topic, but does anyone remember the plane crash 15 or more years ago, New York I think it was (sorry for being so vague?) Plane had problems on take off, and then crashed into a bridge over the frozen river. There were people dying in the cold water, and this guy, just an ordinary guy, dived in and started pulling people out. Bravest thing I ever saw.
Click to expand...

It was WDC and the bridge was over the Potomac River, and it was humbling to watch the rescue.:thumbup:
 
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