Hypothermia and Cold Water Immersion - Information for Rowing Coaches and Clubs

by Jane Blockley

This is intended as a sister document to "Cold Water – How To Increase Your Chances Of Survival" ("Cold Water Survival" document) and should be read in conjunction with it. "Cold Water Survival" gives safety information and advice to individuals, but this document covers further information and advice for would be coaches, coaches and clubs. There are aspects of safety which need to be addressed at organisational level.

We have included information at all levels from the fairly basic and obvious onwards, as we feel it is helpful to bring it all together for ease of reference.

Key points

• Hypothermia is not just a winter thing
• You need a safety plan before you go out – and a rescue plan to make sure you get back.
• Be vigilant. Hypothermia can creep up on you.
• Keep warm in air by keeping active.
  Keep warm in water by keeping still.
• If your crew can’t do their sums they may be cold, not stupid.
• In cold water we are all poor swimmers.
• You get -
  • dead cold in air slowly
  • dead cold in water quickly
  • If dead cold in water with no lifejacket – you get dead
• Hypothermia? Hospital! Meanwhile:
  • Keep Still
  • Keep Horizontal
  • Keep Sheltered
  • Keep Wrapped
• In hypothermia, let the hospital do the heating.

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Hypothermia and Cold Water Immersion - Information for Rowing Coaches and Clubs (ENG) (132KB - MS Word)

Hypothermia and Cold Water Immersion - Information for Rowing Coaches and Clubs (ENG) (314KB - Adobe PDF)