Glossary
Hypothermia
Dangerously low body temperature, starting at a core temperature of 95°F. It is a medical emergency.
Hypothermia is a dangerous drop in body temperature. The National Weather Service (opens in a new tab) says it begins when core body temperature falls to 95°F (35°C). In cold water it comes after the first minutes of cold shock and the loss of muscle control, and it keeps getting worse until thinking and movement fail.
Warning signs, per the CDC (opens in a new tab):
- adults: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness;
- infants: bright red, cold skin and very low energy.
The CDC calls hypothermia a medical emergency. Call 911. While you wait, move the person somewhere warm and dry. The NWS shares Red Cross steps: watch breathing and give CPR if needed, remove wet clothing, dry the person and wrap them in blankets or dry clothes, and warm the core (chest and belly) first. Don't warm them too fast or put them in warm water, which can cause dangerous heart rhythms. Their temperature can keep dropping even after rescue.
Most people who die after falling through ice drown before hypothermia sets in: in Minnesota, only 5 of 269 ice-related deaths since 1976 were from hypothermia (MN DNR (opens in a new tab)). See hypothermia after cold water.
What you can do today: pack a dry change of clothes and a blanket for any cold-season boating or ice trip.