Masterclass
First aid skills for winter
Winter in the mountains can be spectacular but conditions can be very severe. Even with good preparation and the right kit, things can go wrong. If you’re in a group and one person comes down with any of the issues below, then check everyone else and get to shelter, or off the hill, as soon as possible. Here’s what to look for... FROSTBITE STAGE 1 (FROSTNIP)
LOOK OUT FOR Pain, pins and needles or numbness in the extremities (typically fingers, toes, face, ears and male genitals).
WARM THEM UP Place hands under the armpits, add an extra layer of warm gloves or replace a wet pair, loosen anything that might be restricting blood flow, such as boot laces. Hold the cold area in warm hands or breathe on it.
STAGE 2
LOOK OUT FOR White, numb and painless skin, sometimes visibly hard and frozen.
WARM THEM UP Follow the advice for Stage 1 above. Pain can be severe when a cold area is rewarmed, and can last for hours. If there’s no improvement after 20 minutes it should be treated as frostbite. Get off the hill if you can, or call Mountain Rescue if not.
NB: There is usually no feeling in frozen parts but when they rewarm it can be agonising – to the point that the person cannot move – so don’t try to defrost before getting off the hill.
HYPOTHERMIA EARLY
LOOK OUT FOR The Umbles: stumbling, mumbling and grumbling. Controllable shivering (they can stop for a few seconds if you ask them to), tiredness, and hands or feet cold to the touch.
DEAL WITH IT Stop, take shelter, give them sugary food and warm drinks. Make sure they sit on a bag instead of the ground or a rock, remove and replace any wet clothing, add warmer layers and wrap them in a Blizzard Bag, if necessary. Check everyone else in the group too.
SEVERE
LOOK OUT FOR The Umbles but more pronounced, including apathy and falling over. Uncontrollable, violent shivering which may eventually stop, white skin and blue lips. In extreme cases the person will lose consciousness, muscles become stiff and they can go into cardiac arrest.
DEAL WITH IT Lie them down and treat them gently and carefully, remove any wet clothing and pat them dry, then wrap them in a Blizzard Bag burrito (see right).