Rescuer recommendations in low temperatures

The main dangers to humans during frost are hypothermia and frostbite. In severe frosts, accidents in life support systems, disruptions in the operation of road and utility services, and transport are also possible, and the number of fires in residential areas increases.

Frostbite is damage to any part of the body (up to necrosis) due to exposure to low temperatures. Frostbite is usually accompanied by general hypothermia and most often affects the auricles, nose, and fingers and toes.

Tight and damp clothing and footwear, physical overexertion, hunger, forced prolonged immobility and uncomfortable posture, previous cold injury, weakening of the body as a result of past illnesses, sweaty feet, chronic diseases of the lower limb vessels and cardiovascular system are frequent companions of frostbite.

According to statistics, severe frostbite leading to limb amputation often occurs in a state of severe alcohol intoxication. Children and the elderly are most susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite. This should be taken into account when planning a walk. Take a pair of spare mittens and a thermos with hot tea with you. When letting a child walk in the frost outside, remember that they need to return to warmth and warm up every 15-20 minutes.

Prevention

A few simple rules that will help you avoid hypothermia and frostbite in severe frost:

- do not drink alcohol: alcohol intoxication causes significant heat loss while creating an illusion of comfort;

- do not smoke in the cold: smoking reduces peripheral blood circulation, making extremities more vulnerable;

- wear loose clothing: this promotes normal blood circulation. Dress like a "cabbage," with air pockets between layers of clothing that retain heat excellently. Outerwear must be waterproof;

Tight shoes, lack of insoles, and damp socks are a recipe for frostbite. Special attention should be paid to footwear by those who often have sweaty feet. Warm insoles should be placed in boots, and wool socks should be worn instead of cotton ones – they absorb moisture;

- do not go out into the cold without mittens, a hat, and a scarf. The best option is mittens made of water-repellent and windproof fabric with fur inside. Cheeks and chin should be protected with a scarf. In windy cold weather, before going outside, apply a special cream to exposed areas of the body;

- avoid bare skin contact with metal in the cold;

- do not wear metal (including gold and silver) jewelry – rings, earrings, etc. – in the cold. Metal cools down much faster than the body, and it may "stick" to the skin, causing pain and cold injuries. Rings on fingers also impede normal blood circulation;

- do not allow a frostbitten area to freeze again: this will cause much more significant skin damage;

- do not remove shoes from frostbitten limbs in the cold: they will swell, and you will not be able to put them back on;

- if your hands are cold, try to warm them under your armpits;

- as soon as you feel hypothermia or freezing of your limbs, you need to get into any warm place as soon as possible – a shop, a cafe, an entrance;

- if your car breaks down far from a populated area or in an unfamiliar place, it is better to stay in the car, call for help by phone, or wait for another car to pass by;

- hide from the wind: the probability of frostbite in the wind is significantly higher;

- do not go out into the cold with wet hair after a shower.

First Aid for Hypothermia

First aid involves stopping cooling and warming the limb, restoring blood circulation in frostbitten tissues, and preventing infection. Take the victim to the nearest warm room, remove frozen shoes, socks, and gloves. Give plenty of hot drinks, such as warm sweet tea. Pain relievers can be added. Simultaneously with first aid measures, it is necessary to call a doctor or ambulance for medical assistance.

Frostbite Assistance

First aid actions vary depending on the degree of frostbite, general hypothermia, age, and accompanying diseases.

For frostbite of degree I, warm the chilled areas with warm hands, light massage, rubbing with woolen cloth, or breathing until redness appears, then apply a cotton-gauze dressing. For frostbite of other degrees, warming, massage, or rubbing should not be performed.

1) Apply a thermal insulating dressing to the affected surface (a layer of gauze, a thick layer of cotton wool, another layer of gauze, and then oilcloth or rubberized fabric on top). Immobilize the limbs using improvised means (a board, a piece of plywood, thick cardboard) by applying and bandaging them over the dressing. Warm clothing or fabric can be used as thermal insulating material.

2) Give victims hot drinks, hot food, a small amount of alcohol, one tablet of aspirin, analgin, and two tablets of no-shpa or papaverine.

Not Recommended:

Rubbing patients with snow, as blood vessels are fragile and can be damaged, and infections can be introduced through micro-abrasions;

Warming affected body parts under hot water, near a radiator, or heater;

Ineffective first aid options include rubbing oils, fats, or tissues with alcohol in cases of deep frostbite.

How to Determine the Degree of Frostbite?

Frostbite of degree I (the mildest) usually occurs with short-term exposure to cold. The affected skin area is pale, and after warming, it has a reddened hue, in some cases – crimson-red; a slight swelling develops;

Frostbite of degree II occurs with prolonged exposure to cold. Initially, the limb becomes pale and loses sensitivity. Blisters filled with clear contents form in the first days after the injury;

With frostbite of degree III, the resulting blisters are filled with bloody contents, their base is bluish-purple and insensitive to stimuli. All skin elements die off, forming scars;

Frostbite of degree IV occurs with prolonged exposure to cold, the temperature in the tissues significantly decreases. All layers become necrotic, bones and joints are often affected. The damaged area of the limb is sharply bluish, sometimes with a marbled coloration. Swelling develops immediately after warming and increases rapidly. The absence of blisters with significant swelling and loss of sensitivity indicates frostbite of degree IV.

Stove heating and heating systems during frosts

Remember that in cold weather, it is better to heat the stove several times a day with breaks. Continuous heating can lead to overheating of the stove and cracking. And these, in turn, can lead to a fire. Do not use flammable and combustible liquids to ignite the fire. The flash of their vapors can cause severe burns to a person standing near the firebox.

Frozen heating systems can be thawed using hot sand, water, or a special device. But do not use an open flame – this can also lead to a fire. Read recommendations for the safe operation of boilers and gas equipment here.