Surviving Cold Weather

~~ COLD WEATHER
By Duke Montana
Scientists agree that this planet has had many ice ages, five if you believe Wikipedia.  If I understand the process right our planet heals itself during an ice age. Each one has taken a different length of time and been different in severity.

Even with all the talk of global warming, I’d still bet things will get really cold before they become tropical.  If what I’m told is accurate, we’re already on our way to the next ice age because after the Japan earthquake of April 2011, the Earth’s axis changed four degrees. And that is a major contributor to what causes an ice age, the changing of the Earth’s axis. For a long time we were sitting at 23.5 degrees, no telling where we are now.
If you didn’t know it already, heat will leave your body during cold temperatures through your extremities and out the hands, feet and head.  If these parts get too hot they will sweat, if they get too cold you’re looking at frostbite. This is where hand and feet warmers can come in real handy for a person who is just sitting still counting snowflakes.

You should already have a supply of long sleeve shirts on hand, because we all know even in warm temperatures keeping the sun off your skin is what keeps you cooler than having sunlight heat your skin and eventually “burn” it temporarily.  But, do you have plenty of cold weather socks, head gear, long underwear and gloves? Odds are your Mother taught you that dressing in layers is good, but there is a limit to how many layers you can have on and still jump a small fence, climb a short wall or negotiate through a tree line. 

A first layer should wick away moisture (sweat) from your skin. A middle layer is one that should be able to come off and change out when needed (as it gets wet) and the outer layer should keep you dry in rain or snow. Anyone who has spent a lot of time on a snowmobile can tell you how to stay warm and dry for several hours at a time in cold weather. They have cool looking gear, but it’s often bright in color which may not work well if you’re trying to keep a low profile hiding outside. When it comes to foot wear, obviously flip flops won’t be worth burning, so think about what will keep your feet warm and dry while walking in what could be brutal conditions and possibly long distances.

It’s not all about clothing. Shelter is something you’ll need to consider before the super storm comes knocking on your front door. Similar to a tornado, my advice is to head for the center of the structure on the lowest floor possible and figure out how to keep that room warm enough to stay alive. This is when thinking outside the box makes a big difference.  Having six people in a small bathroom or big closet is better than two people in a dining room. Each other’s Body heat will help heat a room and so will breathing. You just want to make sure you have enough ventilation; otherwise the carbon monoxide your group produces will kill you. And yes, if it’s just you and a beautiful woman left trying to keep from freezing, holding each other nude and wrapped in blankets will be more efficient than hugging through big coats. You just hope she has fresh breath or doesn’t fart more than you do.

Something to consider if you’re in a building that only has a large room in it, you can make a small room from supplies within. Furniture stood upright can make a wall and tables put together standing upright or even hanging four blankets or area rugs to make four walls can act as a wall that will help maintain heat. And if you’re careful using them, candles for light and heat can make a difference when every degree counts.
If there is no power or natural gas running, a good source of heat are those Buddy heaters that hold a 16 ounce bottle of propane or can hook up to a bigger propane bottle used in BBQ grills. They have a low oxygen shut off and can make a small room pretty warm. They come in three or four sizes and range in price from roughly $35 to $130 depending on where you shop.

The good news is you can melt the snow and drink if it its clean. The sooner you get to it after it has fallen the better, two things to keep in mind when retrieving snow is footprints and opening and closing of doors. First, when you go outside you will let in cold air… so think of your home as a submarine and keeping flooded water from reaching the room you’re in. Close every door you walk through. When you’re retrieving snow from outside, keep in mind that someone could see your foot prints or where you took the snow from. If you’re hiding out, this will let someone know that at least one person is in that house. Building a back patio with a brick wall that is three feet high will allow snow to fall within it, but could keep others from seeing the snow you remove from it.   

With any extreme situation (including temperatures) it’s important to stay calm and think things through. Look at all your options and decide what is best for long term survival. When it comes to a winter super storm, obviously being able to “bug in” makes the most sense, if your home is still standing and the supplies you packed away are available. Be smart and think things through before making any big decisions.