PSR ExpertPrimitive Survival Rating

Field First Aid

Heat illness & hypothermia

Environmental injury management is older than modern medicine—shade, water, insulation and careful rewarming.

1 min readMedium energyHigh reliability

At a glance

Energy investmentMedium energyPrevention (pace, layers) costs less than rescue.
ReliabilityHigh reliability
TimeOngoing management

Materials

  • Shade or insulation
  • Water
  • Dry layers
  • Sweet fluids only if alert and able to swallow

Steps

  1. 1Heat: stop activity, shade, cool skin, sip water if alert.
  2. 2Heat stroke (confusion, collapse, very hot skin—sweating does not rule it out): cool first, ideally by immersing the body in the coldest water available, otherwise douse and fan. Never leave them alone in water. Evacuate once cooling is under way.
  3. 3Cold: replace wet layers, insulate from the ground and handle gently; warm sweet drinks only if alert and able to swallow.
  4. 4Frostbite: never rub it or warm it at a fire or on hot rocks, and do not thaw a part that could refreeze. If it can stay warm, rewarm it in 37–39 °C water and evacuate.
Field care for heat and cold: a stretched shade tarp with water and a damp cloth above, and a dry bedroll, spare layers and a warm drink below
Opposite problems, mirrored answers: shed heat and rehydrate, or trap heat and get dry first.

Common mistakes

  • Pushing through early heat cramps
  • Alcohol “to warm up”
  • Rough handling, or moving a severely hypothermic person upright

Other methods

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