Hypothermia Recognition
Edit on GitHubRecognizing hypothermia in yourself and your partners, and what to do before it becomes an emergency.
Hypothermia Recognition
Hypothermia kills more mountain users than any other single cause, and it is insidious: the victim loses judgment first, which is exactly the loss that prevents self-rescue. Recognition is a skill, not a feeling.
The stages
| Stage | Body temperature | Signs |
|---|---|---|
| Mild | 35 - 32 C | Shivering, clumsiness, apathy |
| Moderate | 32 - 28 C | Shivering stops, confusion, stumbling, mumbling |
| Severe | below 28 C | Unconsciousness, no pulse perception |
The key sign: behavioral change
The most reliable early indicator is not shivering: it is a change in behavior. A talkative partner goes quiet. A careful person starts dropping things. Someone who was leading is suddenly following. These changes come before the victim can articulate them.
The “umbles”
Classic mnemonic: the victim stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles. When you see the umbles, act: shelter, insulation, food, warmth, and consider evacuation. This is the point where the beacon starts earning its place, because the window for self-help is closing.
What to do
- Get the victim out of wind and wet immediately.
- Add insulation layers, including under the head.
- Give warm sweet drinks and food; no alcohol, no caffeine.
- Do not rub limbs; that moves cold blood to the core.
- Evacuate. A hypothermic person who stops shivering is in the dangerous phase, not the recovered phase.
The beacon’s role
If hypothermia is present, the emergency plan starts earlier than you would like: warm shelter first, then transmit position while the team organizes evacuation. The beacon’s repeating bursts let the rescuers track a deteriorating situation without further transmissions from the victim.
Related pages
- Emergency Response Scenarios for the scenarios
- Winter Operations for the cold season
- First Aid Kit for what to carry