Hypothermia Prevention

What to remember

• Hypothermia means body temperature has dropped, and even slight cooling makes blood clot poorly, so the casualty is more likely to bleed to death.CLS M11 Slides, PDF p.5
• A casualty in shock cannot make body heat well, so hemorrhagic shock means a hypothermia risk even in warm weather.CLS M11 Slides, PDF p.5
• Hypothermia is much easier to prevent than to treat, so start prevention as early as you can.CLS M11 Slides, PDF p.7
• Cut down exposure: keep protective gear on or with the casualty, swap wet clothes for dry, and get the casualty onto an insulated surface fast.CLS M11 Slides, PDF p.6
• An active blanket warms with a heating element that starts when exposed to air; put it on the torso, never straight on skin, and cover it with the passive shell.CLS M11 Slides, PDF p.8-9
• Passive materials only hold in the casualty's own heat and keep them off the ground; they do not reverse hypothermia.CLS M11 Slides, PDF p.10-11
• Wrap the shell or passive material all the way around the casualty, head included, but leave the face uncovered.CLS M11 Slides, PDF p.11

Where people go wrong

• Putting an active warming blanket directly on bare skin, where it can burn.CLS M11 Skill Instructions, PDF p.2
• Relying on passive materials alone to rewarm a hypothermic casualty; they do not reverse it.CLS M11 Skill Instructions, PDF p.2
• Covering the casualty's face when wrapping the shell.CLS M11 Skill Instructions, PDF p.2
• Skipping the check that bleeding is controlled; the assessment sheet marks it as a critical step.CLS M11 Skills Assessment, PDF p.1

Check yourself

Questions on this module, each with the reason and the slide it came from.