Boating Skills and Seamanship, Fourteenth Edition by Inc. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Assoc

Author:Inc. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Assoc.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
Published: 2013-05-16T16:00:00+00:00

WARNING

Swimming and treading water cause faster heat loss than remaining still.

Treating a Hypothermic Victim

1. Rescuers should do all the rescue work (not the victim).

2. Dry off the victim, if possible.

3. Keep the victim out of the wind.

4. Make the victim as comfortable as possible.

5. Ask for assistance on the radio.

6. Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

7. Cover the victim with warm clothing or other material.

FLOATING AND HEAT LOSS. If you aren’t wearing a life jacket, try floating with your lungs full of air. Immerse your head in the water and raise it every 10 to 15 seconds to breathe. By this means, even nonswimmers can delay the possibility of drowning for many hours. But it presents problems in cold water, since so much heat is lost through your head. People who use this technique in 50°F water lose heat about 82% faster than if they were floating in a life jacket with their heads out of the water. Better wear a life jacket anytime you are underway!

SWIMMING AND HEAT LOSS. If your boat capsizes, your first impulse may be to swim to shore. This is dangerous at any time, and more so if the water is cold. The more you swim, the more heat your body generates, and this heat is lost rapidly in the cold water. In a short time your body may have exhausted its ability to generate heat.

GET OUT OF THE WATER. Studies show that the average person swimming in a life jacket cools 35% faster than when holding still. Instead of swimming to shore, climb onto your boat, if possible, which may enable you to balance your heat loss with the heat your body can generate.

If you find yourself in the water, do what you can to conserve your heat. Keep your clothes on, since they provide some insulation from heat loss, as does the air trapped in them.

Do not struggle or try to swim, either of which will cause you to lose the trapped air in your clothing and thus speed heat loss. Insulated clothing, minimal movement, clear thinking, and a life jacket provide the best possible defenses against cold water.

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