Stay safe in all our temperatures!

You might think that Alaska is cold all the time, but in reality the state gets a huge range of temperatures!  Places like Barrow are usually below freezing, and Anchorage is relatively cool, but places in interior Alaska like Fairbanks can reach temperatures in the 90s when summer comes.  So when you visit Alaska, whether you arrive in winter or summer, there are a few basic things you should know concerning hypothermia and heat exhaustion.

Hypothermia 

There are a few basic steps one can take to prevent hypothermia:

• Stay dry.  Evaporating water takes huge amounts of heat with it - which is why you sweat in the heat, and why you should keep dry in the cold.  What's more, wet clothes simply don't insulate very well.
  
• Stay hydrated, but DO NOT EAT THE SNOW.  This may seem like a great way to get hydration, but if you need water and snow is your only option, heat it up first!  Snow chills you from the inside out, which can make hypothermia much worse.
• Keep eating.  Your body burns up food to stay warm, so increasing your calorie intake will allow your body to heat itself.
• Keep moving.  Movement produces heat, so in severe cold, don't stay in any one place too long.
• Dress appropriately!  If you know it's going to be cold, bring the gear you need to keep you warm!
• Avoid alcohol at all costs.  It may seem like the stuff is warming you up, but really all it does is draw heat and blood from your torso (where all your vital organs are) to your limbs (where no vital organs are)
• Bring a hat.  You don't have to wear it if you're too hot, but 70 percent of your body heat is lost through your head, so bringing a hat is an excellent way to regulate comfort.  Plus, a simple wool cap keeps insulating even when wet.

If you do find yourself with hypothermia (see below), take some steps to warm up.

• Bundle up as much as possible.  Your body continues producing heat as long as you are still alive.
• Start a fire, if you can.  This will help you warm up and can be used to melt snow or heat water.
• Drink something warm.  Even if all you have is a fire and a pot of hot water, drink it.  Just as eating snow will cool you from the inside out, drinking something that has been heated will warm you from the inside.
• Eat. Once again, eating food allows your body to burn calories and warm itself up.  In this case, sugar and candy, like a chocolate bar, are good options because that kind of sugar can be broken down and used quickly to heat the body.
• Don't fall asleep; stay active.  Do jumping jacks, rub your chest, run in place.  This will keep you warm, and falling asleep lowers your heart rate dangerously, which will cool you further.

You should also know the symptoms of hypothermia.

• Clinically, Hypothermia occurs when the human body drops below a safe range of temperatures.  Normally, as warm blooded creatures, we regulate our body temperature by burning food, but sometimes our body can't keep up.
• Uncontrollable shivering.  Your body is trying to warm up by staying in motion.
• Oddly enough, you will start to feel warm.  If you went from feeling cold to feeling comfortably warm very quickly without help from a heat source, you probably have hypothermia.  Take the necessary measures to warm up.
• Fatigue.  Your body is tired from trying to stay warm, but do not fall asleep until you have warmed yourself, and sleep in a fashion that will allow you to stay warm.
  

Heat Exhaustion and Dehydration

The heat can be just as dangerous as the cold, especially if you're caught unprepared.  But just like hypothermia, there are some easy ways to prevent heat exhaustion.

• Stay hydrated.  Dehydration and heat exhaustion are directly related.  Your body sweats to stay cool, so when you are hot, water is the best option.  In fact, you should stay hydrated no matter the situation; whether going for an easy hike on a cool day, or running up a mountain in summer's full blaze.
• bring a lightweight, light-colored brimmed hat.  It's amazing how much reflecting the sun's light away from your head can really help keep you cool.
• Don't be afraid to stop and rest in the shade.

When heat exhaustion has begun, there are only a limited number of things that one can do to deal with the problem.

• Drink lots of water.  This is the best way to cool your body.
• Replenish your salts and minerals.  These are lost in large amounts when you sweat.
• Avoid doing too much; take some time to rest.  If you need to get back somewhere, take your time.

The basic symptoms of heat exhaustion are:

• Heavy sweating
• Dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting

If left untreated, heat exhaustion can turn quickly into heat stroke, a deadly condition. So, stay cool!