Hypothermia
Southeast Alaska is a wonderful place, but due to weather conditions it can also
be a dangerous place for the unprepared. As compared to the rest of the state, Southeast
has relatively warm weather, and gives the illusion that hypothermia is less of a threat.
Due to the rainy and coastal conditions in this area, it is easy to gradually lose body heat
and become in danger of hypothermia.
Prevention
Simply stated, prevention of hypothermia is staying warm. Avoid getting too wet,
and be attentive to what is happening to your body.
When out and about enjoying the area, a person should choose their clothing
wisely. The clothes don't have to be fancy to be effective. First, you should wear a thin,
light inner layer (underwear) that will lift perspiration away from the skin. If you will
be working a lot, it is best if the neck is opened to prevent too much of a heat build-up.
Avoid cotton, due to the fact that once it is wet, it will actually aid in heat loss
rather than avoid it. Polypropylene is a good material to use, and it is easy to get a hold
of. The next layer of clothing should be a good insulative material to hold in the heat.
Wool is a really good material that will keep insulating even when wet, and there are a
variety of great synthetic materials that work excellent when wet. Down clothing is a
good insulator until it gets wet and then it loses most of its ability to insulate, thus it is
recommend against using down clothing in this environment. The last layer of clothing
should be a wind and rain protective shell. It should keep the elements out, while letting
perspiration leave the body. Gore Tex and other synthetic materials tend to work very well.
Symptoms and Treatment
The first symptom of hypothermia is shivering. After that, a person's awareness
will slowly degrade along with all body functions until unconsciousness and eventually
death occurs. It is wise to take a hypothermia survival training class before venturing out in the
wild. Treatment for mild hypothermia is immediate re-warming, and changing from any wet clothes to
dry ones. If advanced hypothermia has set in, handle the victim very carefully and SLOWLY re-warm them.
Do this by removing them from their wet clothes and applying a slow re-warming to the
head, neck and torso without warming the extremities of the body. The next step is to get
them to a hospital for treatment.
Always remember to enjoy the outdoors, protect yourself from the elements
and carefully watch the people around you. The best treatment for hypothermia is prevention
and early detection.