As temperatures reach a low of 2º this week, it feels appropriate for another winter blog!
So here’s some top tips for staying safe this winter and a checklist of things for you to have close to hand.
Staying warm-
In winter, under any first aid emergencies the warmth of the casualty is an increased priority. Having a foil blanket to wrap around a person and preserve heat will go a long way to improving someone’s state of mind and reduce the likelihood of the cold weather causing further illnesses or damage.
Insulating a casualty from the ground is also very important and can be done in a number of ways. For example, if they are conscious and can ‘bum shuffle’ onto a mat, empty first aid rucksack or bed of dry branches, it will help a lot in terms of insulating them from the cold hard ground.
Night visibility
As the days are becoming shorter and the sun is setting earlier a lack of light can seriously worsen first aid issues. Even if the incident itself happens in the light, time can pass by quickly when under stress and you may quickly find yourself in the dark.
We recommend attempting to keep a torch in your first aid kit (whether this is a handheld or head torch) so even if you do catch yourself victim to the dark you still have a source of light.
This can be useful in either getting attention , SOS distress signal, guiding help to the injured person or to assess damage done to the individual. If you already carry a source of light around with you, having a backup light source is always a good idea. Preferably one that can be charged up on the go with out electricity, for example a hand crank powered torch.
Communication
Speaking of distress signals, it will be good to memorise or make a note of the following patterns – long,long,long – short, short,short. Another recognised mountain distress signal is six short exposures or flashes with your torch. This is the morse code for SOS (save our souls) and is a commonly accepted distress call.
Some torches have a setting that will do this automatically. Your torch on your phone, however, may not be strong enough to travel very far. You can also do these distress signals with a whistle as the sound will attract someone’s attention without them having to be looking directly at your torch.
Also, if going out it is usually ideal to try and have a fully charged phone so you can contact people, however loss of signal would not be helpful in this circumstance.
Food as fuel
Food is very important for keeping people warm. A body needs to burn fuel to generate heat so giving it food will go a long way to helping maintain a more stable core temperature.
High-energy carbohydrate bars are a good addition to your kit as they have a long shelf-life and give a more sustainable energy this a quick-release sugar. They also taste better than some alternates.
So quick recap of what you may want to consider keeping close by this winter
*Foil blankets
*Warm change of clothes
*Foods, such as breakfast bars
*Water
*Torches (plus spare batteries)
Further advice for winter first aid emergencies can be found here.
