Recommendations of rescuers for low temperatures

Do not drink alcohol: alcohol intoxication causes significant heat loss while creating an illusion of comfort;
Do not smoke in the frost: smoking reduces peripheral blood circulation, making extremities more vulnerable;
Wear loose clothing: this promotes normal blood circulation. Dress like an "onion", with air pockets between clothing layers that retain heat excellently. Outerwear must be waterproof;
Tight footwear, lack of insoles, and damp socks are a basis for frostbite. Special attention to footwear is necessary for those whose feet sweat frequently. Put warm insoles in boots and wear wool socks instead of cotton ones – they absorb moisture;
Do not go out into the frost without mittens, a hat, and a scarf. The best option is mittens made of water-repellent and windproof fabric with fur inside. Cheeks and chin should be protected with a scarf. In windy, cold weather, before going outside, apply a special cream to exposed skin areas;
In frost, avoid contact between bare skin and metal;
Do not wear metal (including gold, silver) jewelry – rings, earrings, etc. – in the frost. Metal cools much faster than the body and can "stick" to the skin, causing pain and cold injuries. Rings on fingers also impede normal blood circulation;
Do not allow a frostbitten area to freeze again: this will cause much more significant skin damage;
Do not remove footwear from frostbitten extremities in the frost: they will swell, and you will not be able to put them back on;
If your hands are cold, try to warm them under your armpits;
As soon as you feel hypothermia or freezing of extremities, you need to get into any warm place as soon as possible – a shop, a cafe, an entrance hall;
If your car breaks down far from a populated area or in an unfamiliar place, it is better to stay in the car, call for help by phone, or wait for another car to pass by;
Hide from the wind: the probability of frostbite in the wind is significantly higher.
Do not go out into the frost with wet hair after a shower.

First Aid for Hypothermia

First aid involves stopping cooling and warming the affected limb, restoring blood circulation in frostbitten tissues, and preventing infection. Transport the victim to the nearest warm premises, remove frozen footwear, socks, and gloves. Provide abundant hot drinks, such as warm sweet tea. Pain relievers can be administered. Simultaneously with first aid measures, it is necessary to call a doctor or ambulance for medical assistance.

Assistance for Frostbite

Actions taken in providing first aid vary depending with the degree of frostbite, general body cooling, age, and co-existing conditions.

For frostbite of Grade I, the cooled areas should be warmed until redness appears using warm hands, light massage, rubbing with woolen cloth, or breathing on them, followed by applying a cotton-gauze dressing. For frostbite of other grades, warming, massage, or rubbing should not be performed.

1) A thermal insulating dressing is applied to the affected surface (a layer of gauze, a thick layer of cotton wool, another layer of gauze, and then oilcloth or rubberized fabric on top). The limbs are immobilised using improvised means (a small board, a piece of plywood, or stiff cardboard) by placing them on top of the dressing and bandaging them. Warm clothing or fabric can be used as insulating material.

2) Victims are given hot drinks, hot food, a small amount of alcohol, one tablet of aspirin, analgin, and two tablets of no-shpa or papaverine.

It is not recommended to:

rub patients with snow, as blood vessels are fragile and can be damaged, and infections can be introduced through micro-abrasions;
warm affected body parts under hot water, near a radiator or heater;
apply oils, grease, or rub tissues with alcohol for deep frostbite as an ineffective first aid measure.

How to determine the degree of frostbite?

Frostbite of degree I (the mildest) usually occurs with short-term exposure to cold. The affected skin area is pale, and after warming up, it takes on a reddened hue, in some cases, a purplish-red; a slight swelling develops.
Frostbite of degree II occurs with prolonged exposure to cold. Initially, the limb becomes pale and loses sensitivity. Blisters filled with clear contents form in the first few days after the injury.
In frostbite of degree III, the forming blisters are filled with bloody contents, their base is bluish-purple, and they are insensitive to stimuli. All skin elements die off, forming scars.
Frostbite of degree IV occurs with prolonged exposure to cold, and the tissue temperature significantly decreases. All layers become necrotic, and bones and joints are often affected. The damaged area of the limb is sharply bluish, sometimes with a marbled coloration. Swelling develops immediately after warming and rapidly increases. The absence of blisters with significant developed swelling and loss of sensitivity signals frostbite of degree IV.

Stove heating and heating systems during frost

Remember that in cold weather, it is better to heat the stove several times a day with breaks. Continuous heating can lead to overheating of the stove and the appearance of cracks, which in turn can cause a fire. Do not use flammable liquids to ignite the fire. The flash of their vapors can lead to severe burns for a person standing near the firebox.

Frozen heating systems can be thawed using hot sand, water, or a special device. However, do not use open flames, as this can also lead to a fire.