Coping With Extreme Weather

Some of the most common and dangerous risks to ORV riders result from exposure to extreme weather.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing your core body temperature to fall. Hypothermia is often induced by cold, wet conditions, such as rain, snow, sleet, or immersion in water. Hypothermia can be prevented by dressing properly, by avoiding potentially dangerous weather conditions, and by drying out as quickly as possible when you get wet.

Symptoms of Hypothermia

Uncontrolled shivering—usually the first obvious symptom, but ceases as hypothermia progresses
Slow, slurred speech
Memory loss
Irrational behavior, such as removing clothing
Lack of body movement
Sleepiness
Unconsciousness, which could lead to death

Treatment of Hypothermia

Find shelter for the hypothermia victim.
Avoid unnecessary movement. If you need to move the victim, do so slowly and gently. Do not allow the person to walk unless absolutely necessary.
Remove wet clothing, and replace with dry clothing and other protective covering. If there is no dry clothing, use a fire to dry one layer at a time.
Give warm liquids to rehydrate and rewarm, but never give the victim alcohol to drink. Quick-energy foods also produce inner body heat.
For mild cases, use fire, blankets, or another person’s body heat to warm the victim.
In more advanced stages, rewarm the victim slowly by placing one or more persons in body contact with the victim. Place canteens of hot water insulated with socks or towels on the groin, armpits, and sides of the neck of the victim.
If the victim is semiconscious, try to keep him or her awake. Do not immerse the victim in a warm bath or expose the individual to a large fire, which can lead to traumatic shock or death. Evacuate the victim to a hospital immediately.

REMEMBER – Victims of hypothermia should be warmed up slowly to avoid shock.

Basics of Cold Survival Without Fire

Sometimes you may not have access to wood, paper, or any other material necessary to start a fire. If not, while you’re waiting to be rescued:

Wear the proper type of clothing (no cotton).
Stay dry. Use water-repellent outer garments.
Limit your physical activity to conserve energy. Sweating unnecessarily dampens your inner clothing and makes you feel colder.
Seek shelter from the wind and cold.
Don’t rest for long on rocks, the ground, or other cold surfaces.
Wrap your body in a thermal foil blanket. This will maintain a temperature of 60°F inside the wrap, even when the outside temperature is -10°F.
Conserve your resources, and use them wisely.
Learn detailed winter survival tips from scout organizations, public libraries, and camping goods stores.

Wind Chill and Wind Speed Table

Frostbite

Frostbite occurs when tissue freezes. The best prevention is to avoid severe weather. If you’re caught in extremely cold weather, pay attention to your head and extremities such as fingers, toes, ears, and nose. Wear a face cover if the temperature is below 0° Fahrenheit. If you experience any symptom of frostbite, treat immediately.

Symptoms of Frostbite

Skin turns off-white.
Prickly or tingling feeling occurs as ice crystals form.
Pain may be present initially, then disappears as frostbite progresses.
In severe cases, victim experiences a loss of feeling in the affected area.

Treatment of Frostbite

Warm the affected area with body heat but avoid rubbing the area—it can damage tissue.
Don’t use hot water or other external heat sources, which could cause burns.
Wrap with warm, dry clothing.
Get to a warm shelter.
Drink hot liquids.
Get medical attention.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the opposite of hypothermia—the core body temperature increases, usually as a result of hot and humid conditions, plus a lack of water.