Re: 2/9/13 Bradford anyone?

What some folks don't realize is that there is something more dangerous than hypothermia, cold shock. Hypothermia will take some time to set in and usually can get up in the hours before it becomes terminal. Cold shock usually only takes a few minutes. At a US Sailing event a few years ago we had a meeting with a physician who analyzed mishaps and in most cases it was cold shock that was a more prominent killer. It usually happens within water and can kick in at temperatures of 55. At deep creek, this would be the river crossings. Essentially when shock occurs, you do not need to be submerged, and your body overcompensates for the cold impact by redirecting blood away from the surface towards the core very fast, which may trigger cardiac arrest. Within 1-3 minutes you are gone. Recall that water removes heat from the body at about 25 the rate of cold air, which is the perfect scenario for shock to occur.