Immediate first aid measures for cold exposure
First aid measures may prevent further heat loss and help the body slowly warm up.
- Remain calm. Fear or too much activity causes sweating. Sweating can make you feel chilled.
- Find shelter so you can get out of the cold, the wind, or the water.
- Remove cold, wet clothes.
- Put on dry clothing, especially wool clothing or a synthetic fabric that insulates well, such as polypropylene. Cover your head.
- If dry clothing is not immediately available, you can try to get warm by making skin-to-skin contact. After removing wet clothes, wrap a blanket or sleeping bag around you and another person and allow body heat to rewarm you.
- Warm up under a heated blanket, if available.
- Move around, but don't be so active that you sweat. Whirl your arms around like a windmill to get your blood moving and warm you up. Activity makes body heat and improves blood flow. Sweating should be avoided because it cools the body.
- Drink warm fluids that do not contain caffeine or alcohol. Eat high-energy foods, such as candy. Do not give food or drink to a person who is acting confused or responding slowly.
- Try to avoid putting your whole body in warm water. As a last resort, use a warm-water bath [100.4°F (38°C) to 105°F (41°C)] to rewarm if help is not available and other home treatments are not working to warm you up. Small body parts, such as a hand or foot, can be rewarmed by putting them in warm water. Do not put anyone who is not fully awake and alert into a warm bath.
- Do not smoke tobacco.
- Be aware that if you (or the person) sit in front of a heater or a fire to warm up, there is a greater chance of getting burned. This is because normal feeling is lost in cold-injured skin, and you may not know when to move away from the heater or fire.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: July 5, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
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