Dress appropriate for cold weather:
• Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing
• Wear a hat. Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
• Mittens, snug at the wrist are better than gloves at extreme cold temps.
Pay attention to wind chill! Frostbite can occur within 5 minutes in extreme cases!
Most common cold induced illnesses/injuries:
• Hypothermia
• Frostbite
• Trench Foot
Hypothermia:
Body heat is lost faster than it can be replaced. Usually at very cold temperatures but it can happen above 40 F, when somebody is chilled from water as well.
Solutions:
move the person to a warm and dry area, remove wet clothes, give warm drinks.
Frostbite:
Frostbite is an injury to the body that is caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. Amputation may be required in severe cases. Reddened skin develops gray/white patches. Numbness of the affected part, feels firm.
Solutions:
Get to a warm, dry area. Do not rub the offered area to warm it could cause more damage. Do not break blisters, loosely cover and protect the area from contact. Do not place in warm water. A lot of times need to get professional medical attention.
Trench Foot:
Trench Foot is caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold temperatures. It can occur at temperatures as high as 60 F. Redness of the skin, swelling, numbness, and blisters.
Solutions:
Removed the shoes, or boots and wet socks. Dry the feet. May need to seek professional medical attention.