UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS Mountain Warfare Training Center Bridgeport, California 93517-5001 COLD WEATHER MEDICINE COURSE TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAP TITLE 1 MOUNTAIN SAFETY (WINTER) 2 SURVIVAL KIT 3 COLD WEATHER CLOTHING 4 WINTER WARFIGHTING LOAD REQUIREMENTS 5 NOMENCLATURE AND CARE OF MILITARY SKI EQUIPMENT 6 MILITARY SNOWSHOE MOVEMENT 7 PREVENTIVE MEDICINE 8 PATIENT ASSESSMENT 9 TRIAGE 10 TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE 11 LAND NAVIGATION REVIEW 12 NUTRITION 13 HYPOTHERMIA 14 FREEZING / NEAR FREEZING TISSUE INJURIES 15 EXTREME COLD WEATHER TENT 16 PERSONAL / TEAM STOVES 17 TEN MAN ARCTIC TENT 18 BURN MANAGEMENT 19 MISCELLANEOUS COLD WEATHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS 20 CASEVACS AND CASEVAC REPORTING 21 HIGH ALTITUDE HEALTH PROBLEMS 22 ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS 1 23 ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS 2 24 AVALANCHE SEARCH ORGANIZATION 25 AVALANCHE TRANSCEIVERS 26 BIVOUAC ROUTINE 27 WILDERNESS ORTHOPEDIC TRAUMA 28 COLD WEATHER LEADERSHIP PROBLEMS 29 SUBMERSION INCIDENTS 30 REQUIREMENTS FOR SURVIVAL 31 SURVIVAL SIGNALING 32 SURVIVAL SNOW SHELTERS AND FIRES 33 SKIJORING UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS Mountain Warfare Training Center Bridgeport, California 93517-5001 FMST.07.18 10/22/01 STUDENT HANDOUT MOUNTAIN SAFETY (WINTER) TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVE. Given a unit in a wilderness environment and necessary equipment and supplies, apply the principles of mountain safety, to prevent death or injury per the references. (FMST.07.18) ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVE. 1. Without the aid of references, and given the acronym "BE SAFE MARINE", list in writing the 12 principles of mountain safety, in accordance with the references. (FMST.07.18a) OUTLINE. 1. P LANNING AND PREPARATION. (FMST.07.18a) As in any military operation, planning and preparation constitute the keys to success. The following principles will help the leader conduct a safe and efficient operation in any type of mountainous environment. We find this principle in the acronym "BE SAFE MARINE". Remember the key: Think about what each letter means and apply this in any type of environment. B - Be aware of the group's ability. E - Evaluate terrain and weather constantly. S - Stay as a group. A - Appreciate time requirements. F - Find shelter before storms if required. E - Eat plenty and drink lots of liquids. M - Maintain proper clothing and equipment. 1 A - Ask locals about conditions. R - Remember to keep calm and think. I - Insist on emergency rations and kits. N - Never forget accident procedures. E - Energy is saved when warm and dry. a. B E AWARE OF THE GROUP'S ABILITY. It is essential that the leader evaluates the individual abilities of his men and uses this as the basis for his planning. In his evaluation, the leader must include the group's overall physical conditioning, and the consideration of change in climate and how long the unit has had to acclimatize. (1) Me ntal attitude of your group. Is morale high? How much tactical training has the group had in a particular type of terrain? (2) T echnical aspect of your group. Have they been on skis, snowshoes, etc.? (3) I ndividual skills. At this point, you must choose who is most proficient at the individual skills that will be required for your mission, navigation techniques, security, call for fire, rope installations, track plans, bivouac site selection, skijoring, etc. b. E VALUATE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONSTANTLY. (1) T errain. During the planning stages of your mission, the leader must absorb as much information as possible on the surrounding terrain and key terrain features involved in your area of operation. Considerations to any obstacles must be clearly planned for. Will you need such things as fixed ropes, rope bridges, climbing gear, etc? (a) Stress careful movement in particularly dangerous areas, such as loose rock and steep terrain. (b) Always know your position. Knowing where you are on your planned route is important. (2) Weathe r. Mountain weather can be severe and variable. Drastic weather changes can occur in the space of a few hours with the onset of violent storms, reduced visibility, and extreme changes. In addition to obtaining current weather data, the leader must plan for the unexpected "worst case". During an operation he must diagnose weather signs continually to be able to foresee possible weather changes. (a) Constantly evaluate the conditions. Under certain conditions it may be advisable to reevaluate your capabilities. Pushing ahead with a closed mind could spell disaster for the mission and the unit. 1- 2 c. STA Y AS A GROUP. Individuals acting on their own are at a great disadvantage in this environment. (1) Give the unit adequate rest halts based upon the terrain and elevation, physical abilities of the unit, combat load and mission requirements. (2) Remember to use the buddy system in your group. (3) Maintain a steady pace so that it will allow accomplishment of the mission when all members of the unit reach the objective area. d. AP PRECIATE TIME REQUIREMENTS. Efficient use of available time is vital. The leader must make an accurate estimate of the time required for his operation based on terrain, weather, unit size, abilities, and on the enemy situation. This estimate must take into account the possibility of unexpected emergencies and allow sufficient leeway to make unplanned bivouacs in severe conditions. (1) Time-Distance Formula (TDF). This formula is designed to be a guideline and should not be considered as the exact amount of time required for your movement. Furthermore, this formula is for use in ideal conditions: 3 kmph + 1 hour for every 300 meters ascent and/or + 1 hour for every 800 meters descent. NOTE: The TDF is made for troops on foot in the summertime or troops on skis in the wintertime. If on foot in deep snow, multiply the total time by 2.0. (2) Route Planning. Route cards are not to be used in place of an overlay, but as a tool to be used in route planning. Overlays/Route cards should contain the following information at the minimum: 1- 3 Unit Designation: Unit Commander. Number of personnel. Inclusive dates and times of movement. Grid coordinates of each checkpoint and bivouac. Map references. Azimuth and distances for each leg. Elevation gain/loss per leg. Description of the ground. ETA and ETD. ROUTE CARD UNIT UNIT NUMBER OF DATE AND MAP I.D. COMMANDER PERSONNEL TIME REFERENCE LEG AZM DIST GRID ETA ETD ELEVATION DESCRIPTION (3) As in any military operation, route planning and execution are of vital importance. Prior to departure, the unit commander must submit a route card or patrol overlay to his higher headquarters and keep a duplicate copy for himself. This preplanned route should be followed as closely as possible, taking into account changes based on the tactical situation. In non-tactical situations, the preplanned route should be followed to reduce search and rescue time in an emergency situation. e. F IND SHELTER BEFORE STORMS IF REQUIRED. Under certain conditions, inclement weather can provide tactical advantages to the thinking unit commander, but by the same token it can reduce the efficiency of a unit to nil if an incorrect evaluation of the situation is made. (1) Bivou ac. If the group decision is to bivouac, then it's vital that we know the principles for an unplanned bivouac. 1- 4 (a) Unpl anned bivouac. The principles and techniques discussed here apply both to unplanned and tolerated bivouacs. In any survival situation, especially in a mountainous environment, the most immediate danger is from exposure to the elements. Being lost will not directly kill an individual. Starvation takes time, but hypothermia can manifest itself in a matter of hours resulting in death. Adhering to the following principles will give an individual the best chance to spend a relatively safe bivouac with the prospect of continued effort toward mission accomplishment. 1. Ma ke shelter. The requirements for expedient shelters and the building procedures will be covered in another section. The basic requirement for protection from the elements is essential. 2. Ke ep warm. The retention of body heat is of vital importance; any action in which body heat is lost should be avoided. The following points should be considered: a. Adequate shelter. b. Insulation from the ground using branches, a rucksack, etc. c. Wear extra clothing. d. Use extra equipment for insulation. e. Produce external heat while trying to conserve fuel for future use. 3. Ke ep dry. Being wet causes the loss of body heat 24 times faster than when dry. Adequate protection from the elements is of prime importance to prevent the onset of hypothermia. f. EAT PROPERLY AND DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS. (1) F ood. The human body can be compared to a furnace, which runs on food to produce energy (warmth). By planning the consumption of food to suit the specific situation, adequate nutrition and extra warmth can be supplied. (2) Water . The intake of adequate amounts of water will maintain the body in proper working order. Danger from dehydration is as high in mountain regions as in hot dry areas. Loss of liquids is easily seen and felt in hot climates; whereas in the mountains, the loss of body fluids is much less noticeable. High water intake, at least 6 quarts per day when in bivouac, 8 quarts per day when active, will help to prevent dehydration. g. MAINTAIN PROPER CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT. (1) Clothing 1- 5 (a) Our clothing has to perform an important function in our mission; therefore, when choosing our clothing we have to take into account some essential requirements. 1. Protection against wind and rain. 2. Layered and easily adjustable. 3. Lightweight and durable. (b) To help us remember how to maintain and wear our clothing, we use the acronym, "COLD". C - Keep clothing Clean.