preventing and handling emergencies 289
Q Lay the jacket on the table and turn it face up. Grab the collar and pull it
toward you. Unfasten all straps and snaps. Open the jacket and fl atten it
so that you can only see the inside.
Q Stick your arms deep into the armholes.
Q Raise both arms together in a smooth, rapid motion above and slightly
behind your head.
Q Close the jacket with zipper, buckle, and straps. Tighten fasteners to
mold the jacket to your body. Th is helps prevent heat loss.- Use the H.E.L.P. survival position. Th e Heat Escape Lessening Position,
or H.E.L.P., slows body cooling and protects those vital heat-loss zones. It
simulates the fetal position. You must wear a PFD to use this survival method:
Q Don a PFD to protect the neck and chest zones. Put on your watch or ski
cap to protect the head zone.
Q Keep both arms close to your sides, but clasp your hands together at the
chest. Th is helps protects the armpit zone.
Q Cross your legs at the ankles and bend your knees up toward the chest.
Th is protects the groin and knee zones.
HYPOTHERMIA TREATMENTS
Insulate the survivor from further heat loss and allow him to recover
slowly, aided only by his own body warmth.
—Dougal Robertson, Sea Survival
Th e big rule here is, easy does it! Treat hypothermia victims with extreme care.
Don’t be tempted to rub arms and legs to stimulate warmth because this sends
cold blood back to the vital organs at the core. Review the chart of the visual signs
of hypothermia on page 285 before you decide on the best treatment.
Mild Hypothermia
- Remove wet clothing. If the clothing is tight, don’t try to peel it. Th is
could stimulate the cold surface blood at the skin layer and send it
back to the core. Cut off the clothing using scissors, knife, or a razor.
Gathering your extremities into a ball, as shown here in the H.E.L.P, helps conserve body heat.