Course Sample for Our Preventing and Responding to Emergencies Homeschool Health and Fitness Curriculum

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Preventing and Responding to Emergencies
By Jenny Underwood

Lesson 1: Hypothermia, Frostbite, and Frostnip

Hypothermia is a condition in which your body temperature falls below 95 degrees. Normal body temperature is approximately 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If the body temperature falls below 86 degrees, it can very easily be fatal.

The most common causes of hypothermia are being outdoors in very cold weather without proper clothing, falling into extremely cold water, and living in an unheated or poorly heated home.

How do you spot hypothermia?

Answer:

1. Shivering
2. Cold, pale, and dry skin
3. Tiredness, confusion, and strange behavior
4. Slow and shallow breathing
5. Slow and weakening pulse

What should you do if someone has symptoms of hypothermia?

Answer:

1. Move them indoors immediately, if possible.
2. Remove any wet clothing and cover with warm, dry things—coats, blankets, etc.
3. Give them something hot to drink (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or soup).
4. If you can’t get them indoors, remove any wet clothing and wrap in blankets.
5. Put branches or pine boughs under them if no blankets are available.
6. Call 911 and wait with them until help arrives.
7. Keep talking to them.
8. Remember to warm their internal organs (trunk) first, not the hands and feet, to prevent shock.