Ranger Rescued After Search for Missing Hiker

What do you think "stabilized his core temperature" means?

Things I've read beg the question.

I found this toejam

4. FURTHER MANAGEMENT

a. Handle the patient very gently to avoid cardiac arrest.

b. INSULATE from further heat loss; this is one of the primary goals for rescuers in treating severe hypothermia. Do not expose the patient's skin to cold air, wind or spray, especially the down-wash created by helicopter rotor blades. If patients need helicopter transportation, GENTLY wrap them in blankets, sleeping bags, etc., and also be sure to insulate their heads.

c. Add heat; the intent is not to rewarm the patient, but rather to stabilize the core temperature and prevent further heat loss. Useful methods of heat addition are, in order of importance:

i) Deliver heated, humidified oxygen or air by mask at a temperature of 110°F/45°C. This treatment will prevent further respiratory heat loss which is significant in hypothermia and will help to stabilize heart, lung and brain temperatures.

ii) Apply external heat (hot packs, heating pads, etc.) to the head, neck, trunk and groin, but only in conjunction with inhalation therapy, defending the core temperature. These sources of external heat MUST be insulated from direct contact with the patient's skin, in order to prevent thermal burns. Hypothermic skin is very sensitive to heat and is easily burned.

iii) Provide rescuer's body heat. When wrapped together in a blanket or sleeping bag, a rescuer can donate body heat to a hypothermic patient. This technique is not without risk however, since slow external rewarming in this way may aggravate the frequency of abnormal heart beats. It should only be used when there will be a long delay in transporting the patient to a site of complete medical care.

IN NO CASE SHOULD HOT SHOWERS OR BATHS BE USED
WHEN THE PATIENT'S CHANGES OF BLOOD CHEMISTRY CANNOT BE MONITORED AND BALANCED.

d. Postpone orally administered treatment; give nothing by mouth until the patient is considered sufficiently conscious to both cough and swallow (i.e. fully conscious). Hot drinks are not effective in warming a severely hypothermic victim. They may be useful, however, in raising the morale of mildly hypothermic victims.

NEVER ADMINISTER ALCOHOL !

e. Administer intravenous (IV) fluids: if a blood vessel can be found, despite vaso constriction, administer already warmed to body temperature 5% dextrose in water or 5% dextrose in normal saline. Do not use Ringer's lactate because the hypothermic liver may not be able to metabolize the lactate normally.

Most hypothermic patients are dehydrated, administer 300-500 cc's of dextrose in water or saline rapidly, followed by 75-100 cc/hr. DO NOT ADMINISTER COLD I.V. FLUIDS. Use an I.V. warmer or carry a plastic I.V. bottle inside a rescuers clothing (preferably next to the skin) to keep the fluids warm.

f. Transport to a medical facility as soon as possible.

This is what I was thinking of. Getting stripped and shoved in a sleeping bag with a naked ranger would give me abnormal heart beats.

Depends on how cold he was. Could have meant fire and huddling in a bag, or just a cup of warm soup.

I've been chest-deep in meltwater before. It was planned, so I stripped down before hand, and had a towel and clothes ready in the top of my bag. I got out, dried off, put my clothes on, did a few squats, and I was ready to carry on. Being in for a short time isn't horrible (after the initial gut-punch cold). Obviously, things get worse with increased duration.

Being unplanned, things were probably a bit more hectic after the ranger's extraction. But the article states they did have extra clothes, and after stripping the wet ones off he shouldn't have been too bad off. The fact that they called for an emergency extraction, however, would lead me to believe the extra clothes they had were not sufficient for the weather (temperature). For example... they probably didn't have another parka. Hence, the emergency call. Totally my conjecture though.

I suppose if you're going to fall through the ice, being surrounded by SAR professionals would be the best time to do it.

I've asked one of the local newspaper editors to write a story about the rescue of the ranger. Not only dramatic, but would show what the professionals did in that situation.

Yeah... didn't think about boots. Good catch.

I always bring a sleeping bag and change of clothes with me on winter hikes. I think I'll start bringing my down booties on all winter hikes as well.