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Visit these websites for more and prevention in- formation. What is East Pierce Fire & Rescue Hypothermia? www.eastpiercefire.org

Hypothermia means “low ”. Washington State When your body is exposed to tem- Prevention Coalition Hypothermia www.drowning-prevention.org perature, it tries to protect itself by keeping a normal body temperature of 98.6°F. It Children’s Hospital & tries to reduce heat loss by shivering and Regional Medical Center In Our Lakes moving from your arms and legs to www.seattlechildrens.org the core of your body—head, chest and and Rivers abdomen. Hypothermia Prevention, Recognition and Treatment www.hypothermia.org Stages of Hypothermia

Boat Washington Mild Hypothermia www.boatwashington.org (Core body temperature of 98.6°— 93.2°F) Symptoms: Shivering; altered judg- ment; numbness; clumsiness; loss of Boat U.S. Foundation dexterity; pain from cold; and fast www.boatus.com . Boat Safe Moderate Hypothermia www.boatsafe.com (Core body temperature of 93.2°—86°F) Symptoms: Semiconscious to uncon- scious; shivering reduced or absent; lips are blue; slurred speech; rigid muscles; appears drunk; slow Eve breathing; and feeling of warmth n in

can occur. Headquarters Station Su Severe Hypothermia mmer! 18421 Old Buckley Hwy (Core body temperature below 86°F) Bonney Lake, WA 98391 Symptoms: ; stops; and clinical . Phone: 253-863-1800 Fax: 253-863-1848 Email: [email protected] Know the water. Know your limits. Wear a life vest.

By choosing to swim in colder water you Waters in Western Common Misconceptions Washington reduce your survival time. Distance can be Vigorous will help keep my body warm deceiving in the water—shore may be farther when swimming in cold water. than it appears. Most of the lakes and rivers FACT: Swimming in cold water will not keep you in Western Washington are warm. Even though you feel warmer because blood rushes to the skin, you actually lose more heat by glacial fed making for a swimming. F° Shivering, sensation of cold ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 98.6 very chilly average water 97 You can’t get hypothermia while swimming when it temperature of 53°F year is hot outside. 93 Rigid muscles, loss of manual dexterity FACT: Even when it’s hot outside, the water may 89 round—brrrrr! Despite the Unconciousness be cold enough to cause hypothermia. 85 cold water, Washington ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 81 I don’t have to worry about hypothermia because Death waters are a magnet for 77 I’m athletic and fit—I’m a starter on the varsity bas- Core Body Temperature 73 open water recreation—including swimming. ketball team! Exposure Time * FACT: People with low body fat (especially males) Hypothermia’s Effects have a higher risk of hypothermia. Lean bodies cool * Exposure Who’s At Risk for Hypothermia faster in the water. Even the strongest swimmers time will depend on many variables such as will get hypothermia. body mass, water temperature, age, gender, While Swimming? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ consumption and . Alcohol and drugs don’t have an affect on hypother- EVERYONE! But especially... mia.

FACT: Alcohol and drugs can give you a false Protect Yourself • Elderly sense of warmth because it opens blood vessels next • Wear a life vest! • Children to the skin. This can cause the body to lose heat • Look for subtle signs: • People with lower body fat faster. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ∗ shivering • Males (generally cool faster than females) I can swim just as far in a lake or river as I can in a ∗ altered judgment pool. Your body loses heat 30 times faster in water. ∗ blueness of fingers, toes or lips FACT: People underestimate the coldness of water Surprisingly, water under 80°F poses a risk of and its affect on their swimming ability. If you have any of these signs, stay out of the water until warmed. hypothermia. The colder the water, the quicker 50/50/50 Rule • Equip yourself with lifesaving skills: hypothermia will occur. An “average” adult has a 50% chance of surviving a 50 yard swim in 50°F water. ∗ learn how to swim ∗ learn C.P.R.

∗ know what to do when in trouble Always wear a life vest when in or around the water.