Working in a cold weather environment presents many new challenges as well as more dangers. Understanding and recognizing these dangers may save your life or the life of a family member or comrade.

Here are some Injuries and Conditions associated with working/living in a cold weather environment.

Types of Injuries

Chilblain

Definition:

Chilblain is a medical condition that is often confused with frostbite and trench foot. Chilblains are acral ulcers (that is, ulcers affecting the extremities) that occur when a predisposed individual is exposed to cold and humidity. The cold exposure damages capillary beds in the skin, which in turn can cause redness, itching, blisters, and inflammation. Chilblains are often idiopathic in origin but can be manifestations of serious medical conditions that need to be investigated. Chilblains can be prevented by keeping the feet and hands warm in cold weather. A history of chilblains is suggestive of a connective tissue disease.

Symptoms:

• Ulceration of the digits and toes
• Red nose
• Skin redness
• Toe skin inflammation
• Finger skin inflammation
• Earlobe inflammation

Treatment:

• Keep area warm.
• Seek medical attention.

Prevention:

• Avoid rapid changes in temperature.
• Wear gloves and socks.
• Use warm footwear.
• Keep hands and feet warm.
• Avoid tight fitting socks/shoes.
• Place cotton wool between the toes to improve circulation.
• Healthy diet.
• Exercise to improve circulation
• Avoid alcohol before going out in snow.

Immersion syndrome

Definition:

Commonly refered to as trench or immersion foot. Trench foot develops when a person’s feet are exposed with wet conditions for long periods of time.

Symptoms:

When infected with trench foot, a person’s feet may feel itch or tingling sensations. If left untreated, swellings of blisters may appear along with the feel of numbness and pain. Skin upon infected areas may turn red when exposed to warm conditions. Dead skin cells presented in infected areas will soon peel off. Pain developed from leg cramps is also common with the infections of trench foot.

Trench foot occurs when feet are cold and damp while wearing constricting footwear. Unlike frostbite, trench foot does not require freezing temperatures and can occur in temperatures up to 60° F.

Prevention:

Trench foot is easily prevented by keeping the feet warm and dry, and changing socks frequently when the feet cannot be kept dry. Using the buddy method is a preferred method since the inspection would be more thorough and unbiased.

Frostbite

At 32°F, the blood vessels near the surface of the skin will start to constrict. Medical conditions such as Diabetes and the use of alcohol, tobacco and caffeinated beverages will also affect the flow of blood to the exterminites as well.

Symptoms:

The areas most likely to be affected by frostbite are your hands, feet, nose and ears. If your skin looks white or grayish-yellow, is very cold and has a hard or waxy feel, you may have frostbite. Your skin may also itch, burn or feel numb. Severe frostbite can cause blistering and hardening. As the area thaws, the flesh becomes red and painful.

Treatments:

Gradually warming the affected skin is key to treating frostbite. To do so:

• Protect your skin from further exposure. If you’re outside, warm frostbitten hands by tucking them into your armpits. Protect your face, nose or ears by covering the area with dry, gloved hands. Don’t rub the affected area and never rub snow on frostbitten skin.
• Get out of the cold. Once you’re indoors, remove wet clothes.
• Gradually warm frostbitten areas. Put frostbitten hands or feet in warm water — 104 to 107.6 F (40 to 42 C). Wrap or cover other areas in a warm blanket. Don’t use direct heat, such as a stove, heat lamp, fireplace or heating pad, because these can cause burns.
• Don’t walk on frostbitten feet or toes if possible. This further damages the tissue.
• If there’s any chance the affected areas will freeze again, don’t thaw them out. If they’re already thawed out, wrap them up so that they don’t become frozen again.
• Get emergency medical help. If the skin turns red and there’s a tingling and burning sensation as it warms, circulation is returning. But if numbness or sustained pain remains during warming or if blisters develop, seek medical attention.

Snow Blindness

Exposure to reflected sunlight from snow, ice, or water, even on grey overcast days, can result in sunburn of the tissues comprising the surface of the eye, as well as the retina, producing snow blindness.

Symptoms.

Symptoms may not be apparent until up to 12 hours after exposure. The eyes initially feel irritated   and dry; then, as time passes, eyes feel as though they are full of sand. Blinking and moving the eyes may be extremely painful. The eyelids are usually red, swollen, and difficult to open.

 Treatment.

 A  mild case will heal spontaneously in a few days, but you can obtain some relief by applying  cold compresses and a lightproof bandage. Over the counter pain medication may be used to help in pain management.

 WARNING Do not rub your eyes. Seek medical attention.

Prevention. 

Snow blindness may be prevented by using sunglasses or goggles. If the glasses are lost, an emergency set of goggles can be made from a thin piece of leather, cardboard, or other lightproof material. Cut the material the width of the face with horizontal slits over the eyes. These improvised goggles can be held in place with string or para/550 cord attached to the sides and tied at the back of the head.

Dehydration

Working in cold weather environments is difficult, and a person can dehydrate without feeling “thirsty”. Continue to hydrate as you would based on your work load and monitor urination for discoloration, the clearer the better.

Hypothermia

“You only get so cold….then you die.”

The worst case scenario. Just a 3 degree drop in your body core temperature can start the symptoms of Hypothermia. Your body core temperature has dropped and the body begins shivering to try and warm itself. Mental confusion is another symptom as well. Sudden immersion into freezing water is commonly associated with hypothermia However, prolonged immersion in water as warm as 70degrees can start hypothermia.

Many divide hypothermia into different categories Mild, Moderate and Severe. Obviously each stage progressively worse and in it’s advanced stages, patients will become movements will become labored, speech will be slurred, and the patient will even have a false sense of warming and begin to remove clothing. Oddly enough, in the final stages of Severe Hypothermia, the patient may demonstrate a behavior called “Terminal Burrowing” which is seeking small places to sleep, similar to a hibernating animal.

Symptoms

• shivering
• changes in consciousness
• stumbling, mumbling or fumbling
• slurred speech or confusion
• slow rate of breathing
• cold, pale skin
• fatigue, lethargy or apathy
• lack of motor coordination

 Treatment

• prevent further heat loss – move person out of the cold
• carefully remove wet clothing and replace it with dry – covering head
• insulate the body from cold ground – placing on warm dry blanket, etc.
• monitor breathing until help arrives – prepare for CPR if needed
• share body heat with skin to skin contact where possible
• provide warm non-alcoholic beverage (to a conscious, alert person) to drink

 Gradual warming of the patient is paramount. Remove any wet or restrictive clothing and begin to warm the patient, hot liquids (if conscious), sharing of body heat, massaging the extremities increasing the heart rate and circulating the blood and of course, seeking medical attention.

CLOSING

Some things that help prevent injuries:

• Use the buddy system. Monitor and check on each other.
• Dress in layers. Wear loose fitting clean clothing. Wool and synthetic clothing work best, cotton fabrics will retain moisture and will hasten many conditions. Remove layers based on physical activity and prevent overheating.
• Stay hydrated. Continue to drink water even though you don’t feel thirsty.
• Wear a hat and gloves. Sounds like something your mom might say, but it’s true. Much of the body’s heat is lost through the head and hands.
• Conductivity…when resting or sleeping, put something between you and the ground. A lot of the body’s heat is lost through sitting or sleeping on the cold ground.
• Eat. Sounds odd, but your body’s caloric requirement will increase during cold weather to maintain the core temperature.

Hope this helps…..good luck and stay safe.

Sources for material:

http://en.wikipedia.org

http://coloradoouting.com

http://www.mayoclinic.com/

After about 15 years of using the medium ALICE pack as my primary warm/hot weather backpack, I decided it was time for a change. So I got on Ebay and after looking through some of the listings, I decided to go with the large MOLLE pack with internal sleep system carrier.

There are 2 versions of this pack on the market – one where the main pack is separate from the sleep system carrier. And the one like what I bought, which is just one large pack.

First Impressions:
Its slimmer then the large ALICE
Its easier to get into then the medium ALICE
It has more webbing then the large ALICE
The map case is larger then either the medium or large ALICE
The map case has a mesh bottom, so its easier to see the contents
The internal sleep system carrier has a zipper for easy access – lets talk about that just for a minute.

The way may pack is packed – the stuff to make camp is at the bottom of the pack. The ground cloth (6X8 tarp), tent, poncho loner or sleeping bag, hammock – all go in the bottom of the pack. When you reach camp you have to dig everything out of the pack to get to your camp gear. The bottom zipper access makes it easy to get your gear out without having to take “everything” out of the pack. Unzip the sleeping bag compartment and start pulling your gear out trough the bottom of the pack. Since the tarp (ground cloth) was put in the pack first, its the the first to go out through the bottom. Once the ground cloth is in position, its time to set the tent up, and spread the sleeping pad out. Once your finished getting everything out to make camp, zip up the sleep system compartment, and the pack is sealed up again.

Two things the large MOLLE is lacking – internal pouch and external pouches.

Internal Pouch – After having using the medium ALICE for about 15 years, I got used to having the internal radio pouch at my disposal. It makes a nice storage area for small items – such as my contact lens case, personal hygiene case, flashlight, FM 21-76, burner for a 1 pound propane bottle,,,,, and other small gear. Not having a place to store my small stuff puts the large MOLLE at a disadvantage. I do not want to dig through the whole pack just to find a bottle of matches. So now I have to look at getting some kind of pouch that will go inside the large MOLLE.

External Pouch – When your out in the woods, and the bottom drops out (it starts to pour rain), the last thing you want to do is open your pack and look for your rain poncho. The skys are black, its pouring rain, my gear is getting wet, I’am getting drenched and I’am having to dig though the contents of my pack to find a rain poncho – not the type of situation I want to be in. Every pack should have some kind of external pouch to store your rain gear and first aid kits in. Those are the 2 things you want to be able to find without having to dig. Since the large MOLLE does not come with external pouches, I ordered 6 sustainment pouches off Ebay last night – 2 for the large MOLLE, 2 for the MOLLE with external sleep system carrier and 2 for the large or medium ALICE pack. I also have a Maxpedition clam pouch on the outside of the MOLLE. The clam pouch is just right for small items like my wallet, keys,,,, stuff like that.

Plastic Frame: – Unlike the large and medium ALICE packs, the MOLLE packs use a plastic frame.  Its “supposed” to be lighter and stronger then the aluminum tubing frames of the ALICe family.  But I have heard a lot of people talking about how their plastic frames broke.  If my frame breaks, I’ll be sure to report it.

Overall: I’am pretty happy with my new large MOLLE pack, but I’am probably going to be a lot happier when the extra pouches have been added.

Do you have something to say about the ALICE or MOLLE pack? If so, post your comments in this forum thread about comparing the MOLLE and ALICE packs.

Related Forum Post:

List of forum threads about MOLLE packs

As soon as the public gets information that a disaster is looming, people go into panic buying mode. Expect food, bottled water, camping supplies, bread, snacks, camp stoves, charcoal,,,,, well, if its on the shelf, expect people to buy it.

There is one thing that is sold out very quickly, and that is fuel. Before you know it the fuel lines are out to the street, and tempers start to flare.

This video was taken after hurricane Ike hit southeast Texas. People were blocking the roads so other traffic was not able to get through. I did not see any road rage, but its very possible it did happen.

At first glance the subject of Desert Survival seems deceptively simple. Find water and stay out of the sun; right? Not so fast, its a bit more complicated. To discuss desert survival properly we must ask ourselves a few questions. What is a desert? Why and how long will we be in the desert? And most important of all; what do we mean by desert survival? That is, what and tools supplies will we have with us.

There is no way we could write a complete desert survival guide in a short article. Here we will cover some of the basics precautions that should be taken while traveling or backpacking in the desert.

Just this year, the media covered several deaths caused by desert travel around the south western region of the United States. All of these could have been avoided by taking the proper precautions.

So what is a desert? Close to a third of the world’s surface is considered desert. Most people think of the vast sand dunes of the Sahara as seen in Hollywood movies. But a desert is defined as any arid land area that generally receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of rainfall per year. Most of the little water it does receive is quickly lost through evaporation. Average annual precipitation in the world’s deserts ranges from about 0.4 to 1 inch (10 to 25 millimeters) in the driest areas to 10 inches (250 millimeters) in semiarid regions. Antarctica and parts of the Arctic are considered desert, but we are going to cover what we could call a hot desert.

Other features that mark desert systems include high winds, low humidity, and temperatures that can fluctuate dramatically. Hot deserts often experience drastic temperature changes with very high temperatures during the day and contrasting frosty nights. The temperature ranges seen in the Southwestern deserts can range from 120 degrees during the day to freezing temperatures at night. The same cloudless sky that allows the sun to bake our skin during the day, quickly cools the ground at night by radiating the heat into space. This makes the desert a challenging place to survive in.

Unlike desert plants and animals, humans have not developed the extreme protective mechanisms needed to truly “survive” in the desert. So what that should tell us is that we must thoroughly prepare to travel or survive for a set period of time within this arid territory. Part of this preparation must include obtaining and using the proper protective gear and supplies.

So what can we do to improve our odds in case of an emergency? The same steps taken to avoid a survival situation in most cases.

* Plan the trip – make a travel plan
* Prepare your vehicle
* Know the possible dangers
* Have an emergency kit
* Understand the region

Plan the Trip

Whether you are simply driving through a desert to get to your destination or planning a backpacking trip, it is essential that you prepare properly. Using the rule of threes as a guide, we know that the body can only live three days without water under normal conditions. The higher desert temperatures and low humidity increase dehydration. The simple process of breathing causes fluid loss. Plan for at least a gallon a day per person preferably two. Remember, we can make fire, we can make a shelter, but we cannot make water.

Plan your route and share the information with several people you can trust. Let them know when you plan on going in, what locations you will be traveling through, and most importantly, when you plan to be back or check in! During our recent desert trips, we shared our location down to GPS coordinates. Set times when you will check in. Stick to your plan, and if anything changes take the time to call your safety contacts.

If anything happens, stay on your plan route. If you are traveling by car, stay with the vehicle. Try to make yourself visible. My emergency blanket is orange on one side and reflective mylar on the other side. This can be used for both signaling and to create a quick shelter for shade.

Signaling:

* Signal Mirrors:

A signaling mirror can be seen at long distances. Learn how to properly use one. If you do not have a signaling mirror, break a side mirror off your vehicle if needed. Learn different signaling methods. A distress signal can be 3 fires in a V shape or piles of rocks in a triangular shape.

A signaling mirror can help rescue see a person at a much greater distance. As the following images indicate, the glare from a mirror will be visible long after the human shape has blended into the background. If a signal mirror is not available try using different reflective objects. (examples: rear-view mirror, side mirror, CDs, Chrome plated items)

* Flares:

Flares can be used to signal at night and can also be used to start fires in an emergency.

* Signal fires:

Set up materials for a signal fire. Wood in the desert is scarce at times and will be very dry. It will not create dark smoke so other items have to be added to the signal fire. Your spare tire, oil from the engine or pieces of the car interior will make dark smoke.
Try to find shade. If there is no available shade, make some. We can use the reflective tarp or dig a trench under the vehicle once it cools down. Remember that some critters seek the same shade.
Note: If you have infants or elderly as part of the group, they will be affected by the temperature changes more quickly. Do whatever is necessary to get them in the shade as soon as possible. Pouring water on clothing can help to cool them down.

Prepare your vehicle

Prepare your vehicle. Check the fluids, the tires, and the electrical. A few basic items to carry in your vehicle include:

* Water! Several large blue plastic jugs (marked water)
* Shovel – in case the vehicle gets stuck
* Car jack – Exhaust air jack
* Sand ladders – pieces of carpet can sometimes do the trick
* Wool blanket
* Reflective blanket
* Portable battery booster
* Hose repair kit
* Signal mirror – flares – distress flag or ballons
* Fuel can (metal)
* On board air compressor
* Spare serpentine/fan belt
* CB radio if possible

These items are just suggestions. The type of trip taken and the length of time must be taken into consideration. Do some of the items seem extreme? Recently someone followed their GPS directions into unmaintained desert roads. Their vehicle was buried in the sand and they were stranded for days which lead to the death of one of the group members. This tragic event perhaps could have been avoided with extra water and a shovel.
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A Personal Survival Kit is a kit that has been customized to what your personal needs are. The kit can be customized for urban survival, hiking and camping, or included in your get home bag. For backpacking, these kits are great for organizing your smaller items- such as extra batteries, memory cards, tape, pencil or pen, and paper. For urban survival, you can keep most of the same examples as for backpacking, but include some street maps, phone numbers, USB jump drive,,, and whatever else you want.

For this example we have included:

• Empty plastic box that used to be a first aid
• 1 gallon plastic bag – that can double as a canteen
• Water Purification Tablets from ReadyPro.org
• Lighter
• Pencil or pen – carpenters pencil would be best, as you can shave off the wood to help build a fire.
• Tape – for closing a wound and for taping notes on doors
• Multi-tool
• Hank Crank Flashlight from EDC Depot – that way you do not have to worry about batteries
• Paper – for making notes, diary or leaving notes for other people
• MRE accessory pack – this contains toilet paper, chewing gum, moist towelette, salt, pepper – all in a convenient sealed pack.
• First aid kit from an Altoids tin – this contains pain killers, hand sanitizer, allergy tablets and super glue. The allergy tablets are important for people who are allergic to bee stings or other insect bites.
• USB drive – include digital maps, phone numbers, digital survival manuals, copies of important insurance papers, contact information,,,, anything else you can think of.

People that live in cold weather climates might want to include a space blanket. Maybe include some dryer lint and a flint steel for starting a fire.

Please post your comments in the Survival Kit thread of the Survivalist Forums.

Sometimes its the little things that are overlooked, and sometimes those little things are important. In this case its a first aid kit. This is the Fundamentals First Aid Kit from Red Flare Kits.

The Fundamentals First Aid Kit has just about everything that a group of people may need. The compartments are arraigned and clearly labeled so the supplies are easy to find when you need them.  One of the things that I really liked about this kit, is how well it folded up into a small package.  Its small enough to fit into a backpack and contains just about everything that someone may need to treat minor emergencies.

Medications/Instruments:
1 Digital Thermometer 90F-105F
1 EMT Shears
1 SplinterPicker Forceps
1 Duct Tape
2 Pill Vials
3 Safety Pins
1 Accident Report Form and Pencil
8 ExtraStrength Tylenol
6 Motrin
2 Aspirin (325mg)
4 Antihistamine

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This is a video review of the Emergency Zone Folding Saw from ReadyPro.org. Saws like this area handy to have in your pack for clearing brush, or even in your truck for removing small trees that have blown over roads and trails.

Post your comments in the folding saw review thread of the forums.

The mission of ReadyPro is to provide the best emergency solutions to families that want to prepare for disasters. We put our products to the test so that they will provide you with REAL security when you need it. We test all the items and are confident that you’ll have the best solution money can buy. We think you and your family are worth it.

Some recommendations for stockpiling seeds for a survival garden.

Radish – fast growing, usually ready to harvest 30 days after planting, the whole plant is edible.

Turnips and Rutabaga – large green leaves, good for feeding humans and livestock.

Yellow Squash and Zucchini – including winter and summer squash. Some types of squash can be stored for 2 – 3 months.

Beans and Peas – require little fertilizer, can be dried and stored over the winter. Have been raised by humans for thousands of years.

Potatoes and onions – easy to grow, can sometimes be stored for 6 – 7 months. Onion bulbs and potatoes stored over the winter can be used to plant next years garden.

Corn – Harvested by mankind for thousands of years. Good for feeding people and livestock.

Cucumbers – High producers, but have high nitrogen requirements.

Peppers – good source of vitamin C. Can be dried and ground into spices.

Okra – High producing plant, just a couple of rows 100 feet long can produce 2 – 5 gallons of Okra every 2 days. This plant needs a lot of water, so its not good for areas prone to drought.

Post your comments in this thread on seeds for a survival garden.

Lets discuss some SHTF / TEOTWAWKI Camp Considerations. Some of the topics should include shelter, food production (hunting and gardening), safe drinking water, safety and special needs.

Where are you and your family going to go?  There has to be some kind of shelter, something besides a tent in the woods.  Contact a friend or family member that lives outside your area and work out evacuation plans ahead of time.  Everyone needs a place to sleep, rest, shower or bath, brush their teeth,, try to maintain a normal lifestyle.

Food production – are you going to eat off of canned and dried food the whole time? Is this place designed as a short or a long term solution?  Short term solution – canned goods, dried foods (beans and rice), MREs, Eversafe meals and other foods that can be kept for a reasonable amount of time.  Long term solution – ability to raise your own food and hunt.

Safe drinking water – contaminated water can kill entire families within a matter of days.  Humans have to have safe drinking water to live.  That is all there is to it.

Safety – how safe is your family and friends at this location?  Is it in the middle of a city or miles from the nearest town.  Seclusion does not always mean safety.

Special needs – Do any of the family members have special needs?  Such as needing wheel chair access, breathing machines or special medications.

And now for the video.  Post your comments in this thread on SHTF / TEOTWAWKI Camp Considerations.

This article was originally posted by Beaterar. It has been copied to the articles section due to its outstanding information content. Please post your comments in this thread on how to layer your gear.

I’m writing this to introduce everyone to the layered gear approach that has become very popular. This is not an original idea by me and have no idea who the original idea came from.

There is no doubt that at some point one will have to dump one or more parts of there gear for various reasons. If you fall in a river believe me you will dump everything to survive, or when entering combat you will ditch your pack to remain mobile and fast as not to get dead. The idea though is still to be prepared, we practice using the bare minimum but still have large back packs, we know comfort goes along way in aid our survival.

In this post I will cover my gear as I have set it up as a result of other post explaining the idea to me, you can alter this idea to fit your needs as I have done in some cases to fit mine.

Generally we have 3 layers of gear:
First line- Survival gear, the bare minimum.
Second line- Combat gear and mission essential gear.
Third line- Comfort and long term survival gear.

I will go over my gear to help you get the idea.

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