First Aid & Emergencies

Call 911 NOW if you are having:

Chest Pain
Difficulty Breathing
Severe Bleeding

Sudden Weakness or Numbness
A Medical Emergency

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Wear Proper Clothing to Prevent Cold Injury

To prevent getting too cold, wear proper clothing and shoes, such as:

A hat and face mask. Up to 80% of total body heat loss is from your head and neck areas.
Layers of clothing to keep you warm and dry.
Clothing made of wool, polypropylene, down, or Thinsulate. These are good insulators and will prevent loss of body heat even when the fabric gets wet.
Wind- and waterproof outer layers to keep you dry.
Wool socks and waterproof boots that fit well. Socks, boots, and shoes must fit closely but not be tight or have any pressure areas. Smooth out all wrinkles in your socks when you put them on.
Mittens rather than gloves so your fingers are together and can be rolled into a fist.

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised	May 11, 2011

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: May 11, 2011

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.