33
SAFETY
Operator Safety
Cold Water Survival
Your life may depend on a better understanding of cold water. Many
suspected drowning victims actually die from cold exposure or
hypothermia.
Hypothermia is a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it
can produce it. Violent shivering develops which may give way to
confusion and a loss of body movement.
To Avoid Hypothermia:
S Dress warmly
S Wear proper gear and stay as dry as possible
S Seek a warm environment at the first sign of hypothermia (mild
shivering)
IfYouFallInTheWater:
S Don’t discard clothing
S While wearing your life jacket, draw your knees up toward your
chest and hold them there with your arms in the HELP (Heat Es-
cape Lessening Posture) posture
"
"
"