| - Dress for the weather:
Paddlers have long recognized that multiple layers of clothing helps keep them comfortable. Adding or removing is a quick way to adapt to changes in temperature during your trip. Wear clothing made of polyester or polypropylene due to it's ability to move moisture away from your skin into outer layers of clothing where it can evaporate. A second layer of clothing made of a polyester fabric, like fleece continues to trap body heat while wicking away moisture. Outerwear can include wind and water resistant tops and pants. Wear a hat due to a 80% loss of heat through our neck and head. Wear two layers of socks, a thin polyester followed by a thicker outer sock. Waterproof gloves and boots to top off your list
- Carry a dry bag with a change of dry clothes.
- Be prepared for an emergency. Carry a cell phone, whistle, first aid kit, matches and one or two flashlights.
- Paddle with three or more paddlers. Always be sure to leave a trip plan indicating where and how long you plan to paddle.
- Check the weather
-Check the weather: Reschedule your trip if the odds are in favor of bad weather that could spell disaster.
- Always wear your life jacket. Shock from entering cold water could prevent you from retrieving it should you capsize.
- Take extreme care paddling on lakes or large rivers where you cannot walk to land. A swim in cold conditions may be fatal.
- Drink plenty of fluids
, but avoid diuretic drinks. Dehydration can be a problem year round.
- Recognize the signs of hypothermia: uncontrollable fits of shivering, drowsiness, memory lapses, or incoherence, slurred or slow speech, immobile or fumbling hands, apparent exhaustion.
- Treatment for hypothermia if the victim is mildly impaired:
Getting the victim out of the rain and wind, take off all wet clothes, get victim in dry clothes, give the victim small amounts of warm drinks.
- Treatment if victim is semi or unconscious: Try to keep victim awake, leave victim unclothed and then place in sleeping bag with others if bag is available. Do not give hot drinks by mouth. Build fire for warmth. Get victim to hospital.
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