Frostbite

Frostbite is damage to body tissue caused by that tissue being frozen. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately! If you must wait for help, slowly rewarm affected areas. However, if the person is showing signs of hypothermia, warm the body core before the extremities.

Hypothermia-Low Body Temperature

Warning Signs

Uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness, and apparent exhaustion.

Detection

Take the person's temperature. If below 95F (35C), immediately seek medical care!

If Medical Care is not Available

Begin warming the person slowly. Warm the body core first. If needed, use your own body heat to help. Get the person into dry clothing, and wrap them in a warm blanket covering the head and neck. Do not give the person alcohol, drugs, coffee or any hot beverage or food; warm broth is better. Do not warm extremities (arms and legs) first!. This drives the cold blood toward the heart and can lead to heart failure.

Wind CHILL

It is the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by combined effects of wind and cold. As the wind increases, heat is carried away from the body at an accellerated rate, driving down the body temperature. Animals are also affected by wind chill.