Survive in Cold / Snowy Weather

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You might be a camping enthusiast or a climber who got lost in deadly bad weather. You might also be a passenger who survived a plane crash in the cold and snowy mountains. In this condition, your main enemy is cold weather. Not to mention the availability of food and drinking water. You must survive in extreme weather while waiting for the rescue team to arrive. The ability and knowledge of how to survive becomes very vital in these circumstances.

Cold weather has a dramatic effect on human health. The two main diseases caused by cold weather are frostbite and hypothermia.

Frostbite means the temperature of the skin falls below freezing, and ice crystals will form in the skin cells, and cause death. The skin will blister if it is warmed again, changing from blue to black and hardening. Advanced frostbite will cause penetration in muscles and bones and is characterized by extreme changes in the color and texture of the skin and this will be very painful.

The stages of a frostbite attack are:

• Red skin (initial stage)
• White skin (intermediate stage)
• Skin hardened (towards severe)
• Blistering (severe) skin
• Black skin (frostbite continued)

Action that should be done when the symptoms of frostbite is to close the ears and put the fingers under the arm. Immediately look for a place / area that is warmer, even if it's just a tent or blanket. Take off all tight clothing that can block blood flow. You can put a thin cloth or shirt between your fingers and toes that can remove moisture and prevent the fingers from sticking together. Never soak the damaged skin in hot water, this will cause the damage to get worse.

Frostbite which has been severe will usually cause tissue damage, this can lead to the verdict of amputation of fingers, feet or hands. Will get vital if trying to overcome frosbite by warming the skin suddenly. Water with a temperature of 100 - 106 fanhrenhait (37 - 41 ºC) is ideal as a heating medium.

Hypothermia is a condition where the body loses heat faster than it produces, and body temperature falls dramatically.
Some symptoms of hypothermia are:

• Difficult to talk
• Lost coordination
• The pulse is weak
• Uncontrollable creeps
• Can not control the bladder
• Swollen face
• Confused

Usually the body is wet plus cold air which causes hypothermia, and if left unchecked will cause coma or death. To prevent hypothermia, look for a warmer place as soon as possible. Cover the body with whatever you find. Blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, even if not available, even newspaper can be used. Because most of the heat is lost through the head, cover the head immediately. If the clothes worn are wet, take it off and replace it with a dry one. If there is no dry clothes, it's better to be naked than wearing wet clothes.
In dealing with hypothermia victims must be careful, because sufferers are susceptible to heart attacks. It's best to lay horizontally and try to calm the victim. Make sure that they will be fine. Go inside the sleeping bag together or cuddle to keep warm.
The first thing you do when you get lost in cold weather is to find shelter. If it is late evening, make a shelter that can protect you from the wind and can provide warmth and be able to carry through the night. Sleeping in the open air is not recommended.
If you don't have a tent, make a simple hut out of branches and branches. The following simple steps in making a shelter.

• Look for wood / tree branches that are rather large and long to make the main bone. Look for tree stumps or rocks and place one end on it and the other end on the ground.
• Take two stems and place them diagonally above the main bone to refute, and tie with a rope or vines.
• Take tree branches to make ribs. Make sure it's big enough for you to enter.
• Add dried leaves on top to a thickness of about two feet (60 cm). The thicker, the more you are protected from cold weather.
• Cover the outside with wooden branches and cover the entrance with bags or stones.

If you are in a snowy area, then choosing a safe haven is very important. Beware of open air areas with no trees. Therefore it is possible that the slope area is prone to landslides. Look for areas with tree tops and grass. You should also avoid cliff areas.

If the night falls quickly, you should make a shelter as soon as possible. No need to be too good, as long as it's enough to make you survive the night. Dig snow and make a hole with enough depth to protect from the wind. Add snow bumps to the wind coming. Make a base with cloth, paper, or leaves and twigs on the bottom of the hole. After you are in the hole, cover the body with leaves. Snow is a better insulator than tents in general.

If you have a lot of time, then make a shelter in the form of a snow cave. Not only will it make you more protected, but also when you make it you will work a little more hard and it will make your body warm. Make sure you don't sweat, because sweat / wetness is the main enemy in freezing cold weather. The hillside will provide more protection against the wind. Make your shelter as small as possible to help retain heat. Cover the entrance with a bag or tree branch.

It is also important to ventilate your shelter. Make a small hole in the wall / roof of your artificial cave with a branch. Avoid turning on the stove or lantern in the shelter unless there are enough ventilation holes. Because carbon monoxide can poison and cause death quickly. Avoid using metal / metal in building shelter because this material can absorb the heat you need.

In cold conditions, we too can be threatened with dehydration. Keep in mind that in cold weather, water is also as important as in hot weather. Avoid drinking coffee or alcohol. It might warm you up temporarily, but it will also speed up dehydration. Keeping the body warm is the next step to survive in freezing weather. Almost everyone knows that layered clothing can maintain warmth. But there are some things that must be considered.

• Cleanliness. Keep the clothes clean. Dirt and sweat can clog air circulation holes, cause moisture and reduce the warmth of clothing.
• Overheating. Sweating makes your skin and clothes wet, which in turn makes you cold. Avoid overheating by reducing the thickness of the clothing layer.
• Loose clothes. Blood flow is very important to maintain warmth. Clothing that is too tight will be able to inhibit blood flow.
• Dry. Wet clothes are your enemy in cold weather. Avoid fibers that absorb water and keep the neck collar loose for evaporation.

After you coat your clothes, you must also coat your feet. Try socks made of thin nylon silk, wool or wool as a base. Then coat it with wool socks. Keep feet dry, even if it means taking off your socks to dry the feet. The same thing applies to hands.

The most important thing to consider is the head cover. Because most of the body's heat is lost through the head, use a headgear that can also cover the ears and don't take it off until you feel warm.

In cold weather, clothes for sleep should not be used for clothes during the day. Don't sleep with your head and face in the sleeping bag, although this can make it warm. Your breath will create water vapor and increase humidity.

After you successfully make a shelter, the next thing is to make a fire. In addition to keeping you warm, fire can also be used to melt snow as drinking water and cook food, dry clothes, and create smoke as a sign for rescue teams.

In essence, if you get lost in the mountains in cold weather, try to survive by all means. And always instill hope that you will succeed through these difficulties. Always leave traces and clues for the rescue team to be able to find you. Try to keep it when you are found.

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