Bry the Dunker Guy 250-704-6401 www.dunkyou.com
Hypothermia and why we should understand its effects on aviators.
Chances of ever needing to know anything about hypothermia because we fly airplanes is slim at best, although for the unfortunate few cold soaked and away from help its essential.
As aircraft are designed and capable of transit to inaccessible places where no one else is available to us we must understand self preservation in the event of emergencies.
Here in Canada our environment is often harsh and could be life threatening for many cases in the event we do not reach the destination as planned, and have to deadstick half way.
As spring is approaching across the land we are reaching a point where the warmer days are longer, and in many locations give way to ice covered ponds thawing out but yet contain extremely cold properties.
Our coast lines differ from a point view that year round the very substance we utilize for landing on is very capable of killing us with in minutes should we inadvertently be submerged and soaking wet.
On the BC coast, all winter long aircraft on wheels and floats transit from cities to remote regions moving people and materials as they have for over 75 years successfully.
Occasionally large swells or wind gusts change the day’s routine from having to deliver the folks on time to survival while clutching a pair of inverted floats, and determining the distance for a swim to shore.
To our inland fliers it could be a similar situation where cold soaked people are climbing out of a half sunken aircraft which is being supported by broken ice, all at below 0 temperatures and in cold winds.
In either case if not dealt with properly the final outcomes are very similar, and how they are handled depict a positive or negative ending.
Both must stabilize the situation in order to survive, and may involve any number of frantic passengers when a host of important decisions are to be made under difficult conditions.
First you must understand that cold water temperatures extract heat and energy from the human body 27 times faster in water than on land at the same temperature once submerged up to your neck.
In the ski plane scenario first you must reach solid ice away from the aircraft, then in very short order find shelter from the wind and pray you remembered your trusty waterproof lighter, and then hope to have access to burning materials.
Downed floatplane individuals could be faced with numerous problems such as injuries
or inability to swim, large ocean swells could be present making that transit to land even more difficult.
In both cases advance training for these unexpected incidents would have provided a plan before the aircraft originally departed, ensuring life vests and lighters were present and with you once the emergency was underway.
Getting out of wet clothing at subzero temperatures, and warming by a fire are mandatory, often making the difference between living and slowly succumbing to hypothermia.
Knowing what to have with you and how to react in these predicaments is simply a matter of knowledge and training.
There are numerous wilderness survival courses offered in Canada where you actually spend nights out of doors in winter temperatures, so why not enrol and learn techniques which are basic but often lost by today’s advanced society.
www.deepwoodstraining.ca Greg Szocs located in Central Canada.
I also suggest you consider Egress training which has now become highly recommended for all who fly, plus I make it affordable by traveling all over Canada by bringing it to you.
Cessna 185 Ski Plane fell through spring ice
Cessna 206 gear down amphibious land on water.
Listed below are facts about Hypothermia
- Hypothermia – Loss of body heat.
- Body looses heat; body functions slow down and can quickly lead to death.
- Three critical areas where the body losses heat, the head & neck, sides of the chest and the groin area.
- If in the water protect critical body areas to slow down heat loss by placing something on you head anything that may be available, hat or anything that may be floating in the water, hold your body tight together if possible covering chest and groin with hands and arms.
- If two or more people are in the water, huddle together so that your bodies are in close proximity.
- Handle hypothermia victims gently.
- Place victim in a warm dry environment.
- Prevent further loss of heat by covering neck and head.
- Wrap victim in blankets.
- Do not rub the surface of the body.
- Apply heat (40 degrees Celsius) slowly and gently to increase the victims body temperature.
- Give warm drinks such as coffee, tea, or cocoa not alcohol – only if victim is conscious and alert.
- The condition is critical if the victim becomes stiff, unconscious, or shows signs of clouded consciousness, such as slurred speech – even if the victim isn’t shivering. Get medical assistance.
Bryan Webster is a highly experienced light aircraft specialist with over 25 years and 11.000 plus hours to his credit who still flies commercially on the BC Coast in a
De Havilland Beaver.
He also owns and operates Aviation Egress Systems teaching aircraft ditching procedures from Victoria BC.
For more information on Egress training contact
“Bry the Dunker Guy”
Bryan Webster
250-704-6401
www.dunkyou.com
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