(2) Evacuate. The casualty should be evacuated to a medical treatment
facility as soon as possible. Do not allow a casualty with frostbitten feet to walk if he
can be evacuated by titter or by manual carry.
f. Hypothermia.
(1) Stop heat loss. Prevent the casualty from losing any more body heat by
moving him out of the wind. If his clothing is wet, remove the wet clothing and replace
them with dry clothes, blankets, or sleeping bag.
(2) Provide external heat source. The ability of the casualty's body to
produce heat faster than it loses heat has probably been lost. Therefore, you cannot
expect that covering the casualty with blankets and other material will result in the body
being re-warmed. You must supply another source of heat so that the casualty's body
can absorb the heat. The body must be re-warmed quickly, but not so rapidly as to
cause arrhythmia (irregular heart beat).
The best re-warming technique is to immerse the casualty's torso in
a tub of warm (105 F to 110 F) water, taking care that the casualty's legs and arms
are not immersed. Keeping the limbs from re-warming as fast as the trunk when
immersion is used will decrease the likelihood that the casualty will go into shock.
Hot water bottles placed around the casualty's body, electric
blankets, and a campfire are some other methods of producing heat.
You can also use the heat from your body or from another soldier's
body to re-warm the casualty. Remove your outer clothing, lie next to the casualty, and
cover the two of you with blankets or other materials. The coverings will hold in your
body heat and allow the casualty to absorb the heat that your body is giving off.
(3) Provide warm drink. If the casualty is conscious, give him something
warm and nutritious to drink. Sugar or glucose tablets may be added to sweeten drinks.
(The heat from the drink can be absorbed by the body and the sugar can be used by the
body in producing heat.)
-- CAUTION --
DO NOT give the casualty any alcoholic beverages to
drink.
Alcohol causes capillaries to dilate, allowing the body to
lose heat faster.
(4) Administer rescue breathing, if needed. Hypothermia may cause the
casualty to stop breathing. You may be able to save his life by administering rescue
breathing immediately.
MD0152
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