In Case of Emergency

This should be your first priority. Snow is an excellent insulator and should be used to help you make a shelter that is as enclosed as possible, while still providing air flow. Trees will protect you from the wind and provide fuel for making a fire. Using tree boughs to make a bed and roof is also a great way to stay dry and safe.

If you’re cold or wet, building a fire will significantly improve your chances of survival.

If there are any injuries, the victim will need to be moved safely in to the shelter. Using tree boughs, create a bed to keep them from laying on the cold ground, this is imperative to help prevent hypothermia. Focus on stabilizing the injury and then immobilizing them so as to prevent further harm, keep them warm and hydrated.

Staying hydrated is incredibly important and will help defend against hypothermia and frostbite. If you do not have water or a water source nearby, you will have to melt snow for drinking water. If a stove or cook pot is not available try putting snow in a water bottle, bag or container. Place it in your coat or near a fire source to melt it down.

Having an emergency kit is a practice anyone travelling should follow and making sure you have food on hand can be essential to your survival. Since fats pack twice as many calories per gram as carbs or proteins, you will want to make sure to have nuts, chocolate, cheese and/or meats packed to help you refuel.
For a full list of emergency kit essentials see below:

Careful planning would mean that others are aware of your plans, where you are going and for how long. This will ensure that the proper authorities will be contacted when you have not returned as planned. If you find yourself lost you will need to signal for help.

1. Putting tree boughs on a fire will help create smoke that may be able to help rescuers see you.
2. Bringing along a satellite communicator such as a Garmin Inreach or Spot GPS messenger can greatly improve your chances of being found. While electronics are not always the most reliable investing in such products can make all the difference.
3. Using shiny items to reflect the suns light can help rescuers find you.
4. Using sticks to spell SOS or help in an open area will be easier to see on the snow by an aerial search.

1. DO NOT PANIC
2. Grab on to the ice in the direction you came from. Since the ice was strong enough to hold your weight before, it should be sturdy enough to crawl back on to.
3. Chip away any thin ice that remains in front of you.
4. With your elbows on the ice move your lower body into a horizontal position and kick your feet vigorously to push yourself out of the water while then using your arms to pull yourself along. DO NOT STAND! – ROLL OR CRAWL TO SAFETY
5. If you can’t get out, stop moving to save heat and avoid exhaustion. Put your arms as far in on the ice as possible and don’t move them. Chances are they will freeze to the ice, keeping you from slipping in to the water if you lose consciousness and giving rescuers more time to get to you.

1. DO NOT PANIC
2. If you are near, crawl or roll away from the area
3. Tell the person to keep calm
4. Instruct them on the steps involved in getting themselves out of the water (steps are listed above)Use a reaching or throwing assist to try and pull them to safety while maintaining a safe distance yourself
   Note: If you have no choice, you can extend an arm to help a person to safety. Be careful as it is possible for you to be pulled into the water as well. If there are others nearby you can form a "human chain" by lying on the ice and grabbing each other’s ankles. Make sure everyone has a good grip before reaching the victim. When the victim has been pulled to safety everyone should roll or crawl away from the broken ice.
5. Both you and victim should roll or crawl to safety when possible.
6. Once safe, call local emergency service and care for hypothermia and any other injuries.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Snowmobile Federation do not sanction any ice crossings for their trails. If you do cross ice remember "No ice is without some risk", and be sure to measure clear hard ice in several places.

Recommended minimum ice thickness are as follows:

• 3″ (7 cm) or less – STAY OFF * 4″ (10 cm) – ice fishing, walking, cross country skiing
• 5″ (12 cm) – one vehicle – snowmobile or ATV
• 8-12″ (20-30 cm) – one vehicle – car or small pick-up
• 12-15″ (30-38 cm) – one vehicle – medium truck

It is critical that the ice quality or type of ice is evaluated before you travel. Clear hard, new ice is the only kind of ice recommended for travel.

AVOID:

• Slushy ice
• Ice on or near moving water (rivers, currents)
• Ice that has thawed and refrozen
• Layered or rotten ice caused by sudden temperature changes
  Factors that weaken or "rot" ice:
  • Snow on ice that acts as a blanket to prevent hardening of ice
  • Pressure ridges due to wind or current pressure

1. Cold skin that may itch, burn or feel like “pins and needles”
2. Numbness
3. Red, white, bluish-white or grayish-yellow skin
4. Hard or waxy-looking skin
5. Clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness
6. Blistering after rewarming, in severe cases

Because of skin numbness, you may not realize you have frostbite until someone else points it out.

There are several stages to frostbite:
Frostnip: 
This is a mild form. Continued exposure leads to numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frostnip doesn’t cause permanent damage to skin.

Superficial Frostbite: 
Appears as reddened skin that turns white or pale. Your skin may begin to feel warm – a sign of serious skin involvement. If you treat with rewarming at this stage skin may appear molted as well you may notice stinging, burning and swelling. Blisters may appear hours later.

Deep Frostbite: 
As frostbite progresses, it affects all layers of the skin, including tissue. Your skin turns white or bluish gray and you may experience numbness, losing all sensation of cold, pain or discomfort in the affected areas. Joints or muscles may no longer work. Large blisters form after 24 hours or more after rewarming. Afterward, the area turns black and hard as the tissue dies. Loss of limbs is possible in severe cases.
 

1. Move the person to a warm place and remove any wet clothing.
2. Handle the area gently; never rub or massage the affected area.
3. Warm gently by soaking the area in warm water until it appears red and feels warm. Do not use direct heat from heating pads, fires, etc.
4. May administer oral pain medication as the rewarming process can be painful.
5. Loosely bandage the area with dry, sterile dressings. If the person’s fingers or toes are frostbitten, place dry, sterile gauze between them to keep them separated.
6. Avoid breaking any blisters that may have appeared.
7. Do not allow the affected area to refreeze. Warming and then re-exposing the area can cause worst damage.
8. Seek professional medical care as soon as possible.

1. Shivering
2. Slurred Speech or mumbling
3. Slow, shallow breathing
4. Weak pulse
5. Clumsiness or lack of coordination
6. Drowsiness or very low energy
7. Confusion or memory loss
8. Loss of consciousness

Someone with hypothermia usually isn’t aware of their condition because the symptoms often begin gradually.
 

1. Call 9-1-1
2. Gently move the person to a warm place.
3. Monitor breathing and circulation.
4. If required and qualified give CPR.
5. Remove any wet clothing and dry the person.
6. Warm the person slowly by wrapping in blankets or by putting dry clothing on them. If outside lay the person on their back on a blanket or other dry warm surface. Do not massage or rub the person. Do not use hot water, a heating pad or a heating lamp to warm them.
7. If the person is alert and able to swallow provide a warm, sweet, non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverage to help warm them.

Do not warm the person too quickly, such as by immersing them in warm water. Rapid warming may cause dangerous heart arrhythmias. Warm the core first (trunk, abdomen), not the extremities (hands, feet). This is important to mention because most people will try to warm hand and feet first which can cause shock.