2015 New York Safe Boating - 77

Stage 3 is Hypothermia. Cold water cools a body about
25 times faster than cold air does. Being immersed in cold
water is much worse than being out in freezing air without
a coat. Immersion in cold water will cool the body's core
temperature, which affects the brain, heart, and internal
organs. It usually takes about 30 minutes for hypothermia to
set in fully. A person suffering from hypothermia will shiver
intensely	and	suffer	reduced	blood	flow	to	the	extremities	
and skin. In later stages of hypothermia, the sufferer
experiences	loss	of	consciousness	and	heart	failure.			
Focus on slowing body core heat loss and be prepared to
signal rescuers.

else is in the water with you, and note how many people are
wearing their PFDs. Try to help anyone who doesn't have a
PFD find something that floats to hang onto. Stay with the
boat; the shore is probably farther away from you than it
looks. If you can, climb into or onto the boat- this is where
rescuers	expect	to	find	you.		Wait	until	help	arrives.		If	you	
have a workable radio, send out a distress message. Save
your pyrotechnic distress signals until you see other boats in
your area.

Responding to a
Person Falling Overboard

Stage 4 is Post-rescue Collapse. People rescued

If a passenger falls overboard, toss a PFD to them, that's why
boats	over	16	feet	are	required	to	carry	a	Type	IV	PFD.		Assign	
someone to keep an eye on the victim and continuously
point to the victim's location. Approach the victim from
downwind so the wind blows the victim to you, rather than
blowing your boat over the victim.* Turn off the engine, and
ensure that the propeller isn't spinning. If possible, assist
the person back aboard the boat, preferably at the stern.
Be careful, a panicking victim may capsize your boat while
climbing in.

from	cold	water	often	may	not	survive	the	experience.		
Cold	exposure	may	create	significant	changes	in	the	body's	
physiology leading to dangerous heart rhythms which may
cause	death.	Exposure	to	cold	water	is	a	critical	medical	
emergency; call trained rescue personnel immediately!

Treatment of victims
If you are involved in a rescue of a person who has been
exposed	to	cold	water,	lay	the	victim	on	his	or	her	back.		
Handle	the	victim	gently,	remove	wet	clothing,	and	wrap	the	
victim in warmed, dry blankets if possible. Bring the victim
indoors, or into a warm vehicle, or if you're in a boat, into
an area that is as protected from the elements as possible. If
the victim is alert and responsive, and hot packs are available,
apply them to the neck, armpits and groin area. You may
give the victim a warm drink, but nothing with alcohol or
caffeine as these may induce erratic heart rhythms. If the
victim is unconscious, incoherent or unresponsive, do not use
hot packs, (you could burn their skin). And don't give the
victim anything to drink.

*If the weather is bad, try to approach the victim on the
windward side to shelter the victim from the wind. This will
also decrease the size of the seas. This will make it easier for
the victim to approach the boat and will assist the rescuers
doing the recovery.

Cold Water Immersion and
Hypothermia
Cold water is deadly. A body immersed in water with a
temperature of less than 70ºF will become incapacitated
quickly. If the water is cold, 50ºF or less, an average adult
has only a 50% chance of surviving a 50 yard swim. The
problem is not just hypothermia. Cold water can kill in any
one of four stages:

If you cannot protect the victim from the elements and you
have no warm blankets or clothes to wrap the victim, share
your	body	heat	by	lying	full	length	next	to	the	victim.		Do	not	
rub	the	victim's	skin	and	don't	let	the	victim	walk	or	exercise.	
Make the victim stay still; you need to protect the victim from
developing potentially dangerous heart rhythms. As noted
above, never allow the victim to have alcohol!

Stage 1 is Cold Shock. This stage occurs immediately
upon entering the water, and can last from 30 seconds
to 5 minutes. Cold shock affects breathing. It causes
uncontrollable intakes of breath, increased breathing rate,
reduced ability to hold your breath, and an increase in heart
rate and blood pressure. This inability to control breathing
can cause drowning and is the primary reason that wearing a
PFD when the water is cold is critical. The PFD will keep the
head above water and allow the victim time to regain control
over breathing.

Surviving immersion
A PFD is critical to
your survival, so wear
one whenever you're
boating on cold water.
If you fall into the
water, don't shed your
clothes unless they're
causing you to sink;
clothing will help your
body retain its warmth
in the water. Try to
be still in the water
because movement
will cause faster heat loss. Get out of the water as soon as
possible, but don't try to swim to shore; it's usually farther

Stage 2 is Swimming Failure. This happens after a
person has been in cold water for 5 to 30 minutes. Even
excellent	swimmers	can	go	into	swimming	failure.		A	
person	in	swimming	failure	loses	manual	dexterity,	cannot	
coordinate breathing and swimming strokes, and suffers
a loss of muscle coordination. This will result in difficulty
holding the head above water, which can lead to drowning.
Perform most important functions first. Including situational
assessment, decision making and self-rescue activities.
77
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2015 New York Safe Boating

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2015 New York Safe Boating
