Keeping warm in emergency situations is essential for emergency survival. Sleeping bags, body warmers, fire starting tools, thermal blankets and tents are all effective emergency items that can help keep you warm in survival situations.
Hypothermia-An Important Factor in Emergency Survival

Keeping warm and dry in an emergency situation is essential to emergency survival. Warmth and shelter is often overlooked as many emergency survival enthusiasts use all their efforts on food, water, and first aid. Hypothermia has the same importance as other emergency survival topics, if not more.

A person has hypothermia when their core body temperature has fallen below the temperature required to sustain normal body functions and metabolism, around 35.0 °C (95 °F). Normally, the human body keeps almost a consistent body temperature of 36.5-37.5 °C through biologic processes. However, the body cannot keep its temperature consistent when it is exposed to cold surroundings. When body temperature falls and hypothermia sets in, the nervous system, heart, and organs cannot work properly and begin to shutdown.

Hypothermia occurs in three stages. For purposes of this article however, only the collective symptoms of hypothermia will be discussed. The symptoms range from mild to strong and can increase in severity very rapidly, thus earning its importance in emergency survival planning. Below is a list of a list of hypothermia symptoms to be aware of-

• Mild to strong shivering Clumsiness due to cold/numb hands and feet
• Breathing is quick and shallow
• Goosebumps
• Sick to the stomach
• Tiredness
• Warm sensation but nothing was done to warm person up and external conditions are the same
• Muscle shutdown (try touching thumb to little finger to test muscle status)
• Trouble seeing
• Slow and labored movements
• Confusion though person may appear more alert
• Person is pale
• Lips, ears, fingers and toes become blue
• Difficulty speaking and thinking
• Amnesia

The severity of the symptoms listed above is an indication of the severity of the hypothermia condition a person has. If hyperthermia goes unnoticed and untreated, frostbite, frostnip, chilblains, respiratory system and heart failure and death result.

Hypothermia can be treated effectively if it is noticed early and you know how to treat it. First and foremost, dial 911 if possible to alert emergency response personnel of the situation and your location. Emergency response personnel will give you proper instructions to carry out until help arrives. If you are not able to contact emergency response personnel, below is a list of options you can use to treat hypothermia-

• Do NOT rub the person to warm them up. Handle the person gently.
• Move person out of cold. Insulate person from cold ground and cover the head.
• Remove wet clothing. Replace with dry clothing if possible or dry blanket.
• If outdoors, build a fire. Do not put person too close to fire as numb body parts can be burned
• Use your own body heat to warm the person.
• Do NOT apply direct heat. Apply warm compresses to neck, groin and chest wall.
• Do NOT give the person alcohol. Do give them warm nonalcoholic drinks.
• Use HELP (heat escape lessening position). Hold knees together and into chest using arms.
• Use your own body heat to warm the person.
• Do not attempt to warm the arms and legs. Focus on warming the body.

The first and simplest step to preventing hypothermia for emergency survival planning is to wear appropriate clothing. Research weather conditions and other related factors for any activity and plan to wear clothing appropriate for that activity. For emergency survival, keep a change of clothes, hats, gloves, a coat, and a blanket in your car for emergencies.

Wool (fleece) and synthetic fabrics provide the best insulation even when wet and dry quickly as well. Keep an emergency blanket and survival sleeping bag in your emergency survival kit. Body warmers are also a good addition to a emergency survival kit as they can provide quick and easy heat.

Shelter is also essential for emergency survival as it provides protection from the elements and can keep you warm and dry. Keep a survival tent in your emergency survival kit. Be sure it is water proof and durable. Put up the tent a couple of times so you are familiar with how to set it up and the space and protection it will provide.