Coping With Extreme Weather

Some of the most common and dangerous risks to ATV 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.

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 victim.
• Treat the hypothermia victim gently, and do not allow him or her to walk unless absolutely necessary.Avoid any unnecessary movement.
• 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 re-hydrate and re-warm, 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 up the victim.
• In more advanced stages, re-warm 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. Evacuate the victim to a hospital immediately.

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.

Prevention of Heat Exhaustion

• Wear light, loose clothing.
• Wear wide-brimmed hats, vented if possible.
• Drink plenty of liquids.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion

• Pale and clammy skin
• Weakness
• Nausea
• Headache
• Muscle cramps

Treatment of Heat Exhaustion

• Move to a cooler place, and drink water.
• Fan to lower body temperature, but don’t over-chill.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke should be treated as a medical emergency—it can be fatal.

Symptoms of Heat Stroke

• Dry, hot, and flushed skin—dark or purple in color
• Dilated pupils
• Slow, weak pulse
• Shallow breathing
• High temperature—may be in excess of 106° Fahrenheit

Treatment for Heat Stroke

• Wrap in a sheet and soak with cool—not cold—water.
• Fan to lower body temperature, but don’t over-chill.
• Get to a hospital immediately.