When disaster strikes, it is essential that you have a safe and secure shelter. Your home if undamaged is usually your best source of shelter but the key element is to have or find a place to keep, warm, dry and safe. Your body when wet makes you susceptible to lower body temperatures and lower body temperatures can lead to hypothermia which in essence kills your cells and tissues and can eventually lead to death.
Two of the leading causes of hypothermia are improper shelter and improper clothing for the environment you may find yourself in. Factors which are also contributors to hypothermia are the actual temperature, wind speed and being wet in a cold environment. Eating as we all know is a good thing and will increase your metabolism, which also causes your body temperature to increase so avoid being hungry. Keep, warm, keep dry and stay safe.
rmactsc 
One of the first Search and Rescue missions I was deployed on (in the Arctic) ended very badly. Snowmobilers got separated by a blizzard, and the body our team recovered had everything he needed to survive, but he had failed to use it all to his advantage. Good post!
Thanks Tina. I’d like to hear more about the search and rescue mission. Can you share your story?
*I found 1 link that mentions the recovery (albeit brief) http://www.nss.gc.ca/site/ss/magazine/vol13_3/feature_e.asp It’s the article referring to Northern SAR. My boss (WO Rarog) was heading the team on ground – searching for an Inuit hunter that got separated from his group. I was part of CASARA (the air search/spotting team). I was in a twin otter, and we were accompanied by a Herc. I don’t think SAR’s in the Northern Parts of Canada get much air time. But they are unique due to ground/weather conditions. Alot of rough terrain, and sparsely populated. I’ll email Rarog and ask if he has something posted referring to that particular incident.
Thanks Tina. Sounds like a very exciting incident to have been a part of.
Reblogged this on thesurvivalplaceblog.
As always I appreciate the reblog 🙂