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Hypothermia Kit

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Started 6 years ago by MisterMoon
Latest reply from Ridgerunner

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MisterMoon
Member

With all the discussion in the PFD thread about hypothermia kits, I thought it might be instructive for some of the newbies if I showed you mine. It is small and light enough to go into a PFD pocket. I don't have a scale, but I'd estimate its weight as no more than about 5 oz. It measures 5"x5"x2" packed. You can see that I used a vacuum-heat sealer to reduce bulk and more importantly guarantee that it will be dry when and if I ever need to break it open.

Contents:

mylar emergency blanket. Prepared as described in http://watertribe.com/Magazine/Y2002/M12/SteveIsaacModifySpaceBlanket.aspx

Butane lighters (2)

Waterproof strike on box matches (1)

Optimus fire starter sticks (1)

Cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly inside watertight container

Tea candles (2)

I don't have any food in mine, but that's because I always keep a couple of powerbars in other pockets in my PFD.

Posted 6 years ago #
KayakVagabond
Member

Great idea on the vacuum pack. I also use a "food saver" to vacuum pack gear. Works great and saves weight. I'll even do this for my SPOT or VHF, with a grommet/lanyard added, when I need to save ounces and the battery life won't be an issue for the duration of a trip. For elecrtronics I take care not to vacuum out all the air so that the buttons are operable.

One caution however, about leaving food in your PFD pockets (or your tent). Storing wrapped items is one thing, but don't store anything opened, or that has food odor. I left an opened Cliff Bar in a brand new Kokatat PFD once, hung the PFD on a tree to dry while I made camp, and a racoon chewed a large hole through the pocket to get at it, while I slept. Same happened once when my partner left an open powerbar in the tent pocket, racoon chewed a nice hole through the door...

The Astral V-8 PFD that I use for the EC is lightweight and has great ventilation (great for high-output kayaking) but has only one real pocket (the new model has 2 pockets but doesn't fit me as well), so my hypo kit goes in the dayhatch or a ditch bag.

Posted 6 years ago #
MrMako
Member

Mister Moon, great thread. I have turned my "Hypothermia Kit" into a "24 hour kit". I would caution the use of this type of utane lighter. Three things to think about. First, If you are deep into hypothermia you lose use of muscles and striking these sometimes becomes impossible. Also it takes a constant pressure to keep the flame going. Same problem. Second your thumb gets cooked after awhile. Third, beware that the gas release button doesn't get pushed down inadvertently releaseing the fluid.
I found a neat compromise called the IMCO Triplex 6700. I bought mine for $26 on the internet. Probably a Chinese knockoff. Simply opening the lid lights the flame. It has a windproff sheild that can be adjusted for larger flame. This now becomes a candle. The really cool thing is you can pull the candle part out and hold it almost upside down to light a stove or something.
I upped the performance of "Stike on box" matches to "Strike on anything" matches. It gives me more options if the striker part of the box gets wet. Actually, I lay a storm proof match which can be hard to start, beside a "Strike anywhere match" then Gorilla glue them to each other on one side. This strengthen the match stick so it dosen't break. Yet allows the sticks to burn.
I am sure others have some great ideas to share.

Posted 6 years ago #
MisterMoon
Member

KayakVagabond: I hear you on the food/critter thing. One nice thing about being on a class 4 boat that is set up for sleeping aboard at anchor is we typically don't have to deal with terrestrial critters trying to eat our stuff. But not having open food in your PFD is good advice.

MrMako: My strike on box waterproof matches will strike on a wet box (tested this a while back). I haven't seen strike-anywhere matches in the stores in a long time. The insurance industry must have driven them from the shelves of our local grocery.

All good ideas and thoughts though.

Posted 6 years ago #
lugnut
Member

Tea candles -- great idea for a pocketable kit.

Posted 6 years ago #
SaltySack
Member

Are tea candles ok instead of candle lantern?

Posted 6 years ago #
lugnut
Member

Salty; not sure I understand your question. The tea candle is a compact way to generate heat and, once lit, can also help start a fire. I carry a candle lantern in the cabin of my class 4, but it's for light and perhaps heat and not as part of the hypothermia kit. It's a bit bulky to carry on the PFD. I had thought about trying to get the smallest can of Sterno I could find for the PFD kit, but the tea candles are better and can be had for pennies.

Posted 6 years ago #
SaltySack
Member

For me space is limited on a sup. I was curious if the tea candle meets Chiefs requirement for hypo kit in place of a candle lantern. I'll need to scale back on non required equipment without being foolish of course.

Posted 6 years ago #
MisterMoon
Member

Put a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil in the kit to make a chimney for the tea candle to keep it from going out in a breeze. You could also throw in a couple of those handwarmer packets, too. You don't have to have a candle lantern, but it's nice. I keep on in my boat also.

Posted 6 years ago #
MrMako
Member

"Strike anywhere match": At first I was having a hard time finding them. My local True Value hardware store has them and I am pretty sure the local Winn-Dixie (Grocery store) carries them. They do seem to catch fire more often on the first strike.

Posted 6 years ago #
seabag
Member

There are waterproof mini flare matches out there that trade under the rubric of lifeboat matches. They work. Too expensive for the daily stove lighting but easier to use and more reliable than a lighter in wind and damp.

Posted 6 years ago #
JollyRoger
Member

I have a swimmers cap in my PFD. Really helps until you can get to where you can use your kit.

Posted 6 years ago #
PrivateHam
Member

Here's a candle I am using in my PFD. It's a bit bigger than a tea light but it has three substantial wicks which should stay lit better and will supposedly burn for 6 hours. I am adding a bit of tinfoil to my gear now too. That's a great idea for use as a wind breaker.

http://www.rei.com/product/842679/exotac-candletin-hot-burn-survival-candle

Great idea regarding the swimmers cap... particularly for my shaved bald head.

Posted 6 years ago #
MrMako
Member

I believe Chief recommends $100 and and a Credit Card for emergency an Hamburger. With speed dial, I can't even remember my wifes cell phone number. I am going to put a list of contacts as well as PaddleDancers phone number in my kit, incase my phone is dead or lost.
Maybe even 1-800-Dom-inos.

Posted 6 years ago #
Chief
Coastal Vagabond
Let me clarify the candle lantern as part of a hypothermia kit. First, I have two hypothermia kits. One is in my lifejacket and the other in my boat.

The lifejacket kit is basically just a space blanket and fire starter. It does not have a candle lantern. It needs to be as small as possible to fit in a PFD pocket.

On the boat I have a full kit including candle lantern, poncho liner, and modified space blanket as described here: http://watertribe.com/Magazine/Y2002/M12/SteveIsaacMakeAHypothermiaKit.aspx and

http://watertribe.com/Magazine/Y2002/M12/SteveIsaacWhenGodsPlay.aspx

Please note that some of the stuff shown in these articles is a bit outdated now, but the basics are still applicable. Also, the idea of vacuum bagging the kit is really good.

Almost every year we have someone flirting with hypothermia and they still have their boat. For minor cases the best remedy is to setup camp and get into dry clothing, cook something so you can eat or drink hot food. For more severe cases the candle lantern, poncho liner, and space blanket can get you on the path to recovery enough to stop shivering - then you can setup camp. Of course all this depends on proper layering and so on.

I did this at a demo one time and it is a good exercise to practice this skill. Always have supervision when attempting this skill or any other survival practice.
- Dress yourself in your paddling or sailing attire including your lifejacket and have your full hypothermia kit handy.
- Jump into a cold swimming pool or wade into cold water and just float around until you start to shiver. At this point you are at or very near the first stages of hypothermia.
- Get out of the water and find a spot that shields you from the wind and will allow you to lean back against it if possible - maybe a tree or rock or even your boat.
- Take off your lifejacket and put your modified space blanket on, then your poncho liner, and if raining your poncho goes on.
- Lay your PFD on the ground and sit on it.
- Light the candle lantern and place it between your legs in the tent-like area created by your raised knees. BE CAREFUL. Some space blankets are flammable. The candle lantern incloses the flame, but you still have to be careful.
- Kind of open the area around your neck to allow the steam to escape.
- When you stop shivering and your poly layer is almost dry, you can setup camp and get something hot to eat and/or drink.
Posted 6 years ago #
Ridgerunner
Member

As a Lead Instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates, I would like to add to what Chief said. Shivering is Mild Hypothermia. Your body is trying to restore heat that it needs to operate properly. You are also shunting your blood to to the core in order to cut down on further heat loss (that's why you feel the need to pee and why you cannot operate the butane lighter).

Shivering is very effective, but it requires a lot of energy. Besides stopping heat loss and adding heat as Chief suggests, add energy to your system in simple carbs. Eat that Snickers Bar and any other simple sugars you have, then follow with complex carbs, fats, and proteins as you begin to recover. And don't forget to hydrate after you pee - you can't recover that fluid from your bladder and keeping it warm is using up precious energy.

Posted 6 years ago #

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