How would you treat a victim who has been pulled from cold water?
If possible, move the victim to a warm area. Remove wet clothing, and gently loosen or remove constricting clothing or jewellery that may restrict circulation. Warm the person by wrapping them in blankets or by putting them in dry clothing. Cover the head and neck. The first step in all cases of hypothermia is to prevent any further heat loss. This is done by removing the 4 ways that heat loss occurs, including: Conduction – remove the person from a cold surface if possible. Ideally, place them onto a warm surface, or at least a dry one that will prevent further heat loss.General Care: Hypothermia Move the person to a warmer place. Remove wet clothes. Dry the person. Help the person put on dry clothing, including hat, gloves and socks, if available.Treating hypothermia indoors Give them something warm to drink, like soup, and/or high-energy food, like chocolate. Do not give the casualty alcohol in an attempt to warm them – it will make hypothermia worse.Don’t massage or rub the person – and do not allow them to help you. Keep them still because, particularly below 32oC, they risk a cardiac arrest. Move the person out of the cold – if this is not possible, protect them from wind, cover their head and insulate their body from the cold ground.What should you do when you encounter a person who has been submerged in cold water and is unresponsive?Get them out of the water, onto their back and give them FIVE rescue breaths. Do 1 minute of CPR with 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths. Then, if they do not come round, phone 999/112 immediately and tell them where you are. Continue to do CPR until the ambulance arrives. Gently tilt their head back to keep the airway open. If breathing or pulse stops at any time, roll the person onto their back and begin CPR. If you think there is a spinal injury, leave the person where you found them (as long as breathing continues).CALL 911 or the local emergency number. Gently move the person to a warm place. Monitor breathing and circulation. Give rescue breathing and CPR, if needed.For a person who is unresponsive and not breathing or only gasping (cardiac arrest), start CPR and use an AED immediately.
What is the first thing you do if you fall in cold water?
Don’t panic. Try to get control of your breathing. Hold onto something or stay as still as possible until your breathing settles down. Focus on floating with your head above water until the cold shock response abates. Sudden submersion in cold water can produce two initial responses. One of these, the cold shock response, is evoked by rapid cooling of the skin and includes a gasp response followed by uncontrollable hyperventilation—obvious precursors to drowning.
What is the first aid for cold exposure?
Give rescue breathing and CPR if needed. Remove any wet clothing and dry the person. Warm the person slowly by wrapping in blankets or by putting dry clothing on the person. Hot water bottles and chemical hot packs may be used when first wrapped in a towel or blanket before applying. If the affected person is alert and able to swallow, give the person a warm, sweet, nonalcoholic, noncaffeinated drink. Warm drinks can help warm the body. Use warm, dry compresses. Use first-aid warm compresses, which are plastic fluid-filled bags that warm up when squeezed.