Handle the victim gently and
give him no alcohol or caffeine.
Never re-warm the victim
quickly. This will only cause further complications and possibly even
death.
Seek or create shelter from
cold, rain, snow and wind.
If no other shelter is
available, head for a wooded area where you can find materials to create a
shelter or build a fire.
Build a windbreak out of
blocks of snow, rocks, tree limbs, branches, slabs of bark, or evergreen
boughs. If none of these are available, dig a trench in the snow or make a
snow cave.
Find natural shelter behind a
dense group of trees, at the foot of a slope, on the windless side of a
ridge, under fallen logs, or behind a cropping of rocks.
Conserve your body heat by
huddling in a blanket or adding layers of clothing. If there are other
members of your party, you should all group together to provide each other
with maximum body warmth.
Replace damp clothing that
is next to the skin.
Loosen your boot laces. This
increases circulation. Place feet, boots and all, into your backpack.
Place evergreen boughs on
the ground to insulate your body from the cold.
Put your hands under your
armpits or between your legs.
If there is another person
with you, lay spoon fashion or back to back to provide each other with the
maximum body heat possible.
Rub the hands and feet of
your companions briskly to create friction. Have them do the same for you.
Friction helps circulation and creates body heat.
Snack on small bites of
high energy foods, such as candy, nuts or energy bars.
Ignite both ends of a fuel
stick. This will give you and your companions four hours of heat.
Exercise to keep the body’s
circulation system working before hypothermia has a chance to start.
Search for dead branches,
dry twigs and bark to build a fire. Some good fire supplies can often be
found in old fallen logs.
Stay in a sheltered area
out of the wind. Never let anyone leave the campsite alone for any reason.