Hypothermia Can Be Icing on the Lake

SATURDAY, Feb. 14 (HealthDayNews) -- Even when the weather turns colder, it doesn't deter some boaters, windsurfers and even water skiers from hitting the waves for fun and excitement.

However, cold conditions make hypothermia a serious potential threat to anyone out on the lakes and rivers. It takes only a few minutes for a person who falls into cold water to start to suffer hypothermia, which is a rapid cooling of the body, says the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.

When immersed in cold water, a person's skin and nearby tissues cool rapidly. It may take about 10 to 15 minutes for the temperature in the heart and brain to start dropping. Serious health complications start when a person's body core temperature goes below 90 degrees F, and death can occur when it reaches 80 degrees F.

But people in cold water often die from drowning before their core temperature drops that low. They become unconsciousness or lose the ability to move their arms and legs and stay afloat.

Here are some cold water safety tips:

• Don't stand or move around in a small boat.
• Don't overload your boat or distribute the load unevenly.
• Don't decelerate your boat suddenly. That could let your boat's wake overtake and swamp your boat.
• Water skiers and windsurfers should wear dry or wet suits.
• Always wear a flotation device, which will keep you afloat if you do fall into cold water and become unconscious.

More information

The U.S. Coast Guard has more about cold water safety.

-- Robert Preidt

SOURCE: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission