Recognizing and Responding to Early Hypothermia
Hypothermia does not require freezing temperatures. Wet clothing, wind, fatigue and too little food can lower body temperature on a cool, rainy summer day. Catching it early, while a person can still help themselves, makes recovery much easier.
Early warning signs
Watch for shivering, clumsy hands, stumbling, slurred speech, irritability and poor decisions. These changes are often easier for companions to notice than for the person affected, who may insist they are fine.
As cooling progresses, shivering can stop, which is a sign of worsening condition, not recovery.
Responding early
Get the person out of wind and rain, replace wet clothing with dry layers and add insulation underneath them as well as on top. Give warm, sweet drinks and food if they can swallow normally.
Warm water bottles wrapped in cloth placed near the chest, armpits and groin can help. Handle the person gently.
Keep the person moving only if they can do so steadily and safely; light activity generates heat, but exhaustion makes the situation worse. Watch the rest of the group too, since everyone faced the same conditions.
When to get help
If the person is confused, very drowsy, not shivering despite being cold or cannot walk, treat it as a medical emergency and call for help. Keep them lying down and insulated while waiting.
Prevention is simpler: stay dry, eat and drink regularly, and add layers before you feel chilled.