How do you assume the help position to reduce heat loss in cold water?

The key to cold water survival is to conserve body heat. If you find yourself unexpectedly immersed in cold water, discard only heavy garments. Clothing, particularly protective clothing, will help prevent the loss of body heat. Ordinary clothing can reduce the cooling rate by 50%. It is important to retain head covering because a large proportion of heat is lost via the head.

Stay calm, rapid movement causes faster heat loss. Stay afloat on your back and hold any buoyant object if available.

Signal for help by raising one arm above the head with an open hand, shout for help and stay calm.

If you find yourself unexpectedly fall into cold water, take the following steps to delay the onset of hypothermia:

• Keep all movement to a minimum; any movement increases heat loss by 30%
• If you are alone and wearing a lifejacket use the Heat-Escape-Lessoning-Position (HELP) position to conserve your energy. In a small group, stay warm by huddling with others
• Get your body out of the water. Pull yourself up as high as possible onto a capsized vessel
• Keep your head dry, in all cases, avoid submerging under water. A large portion of body heat escapes from your head. Keeping your head dry will greatly impact your chances of survival

Heat Escape Lessening Posture (HELP)

In the case of an accidental fall into water, it is important to try to conserve as much of your energy as possible. This can be done by adopting the HELP technique:

• Keep your head out of the water
• Keep your clothes on to help retain heat
• Bring your knees to the chest
• Press both your arms against your sides
• Keep movement to a minimum and stay calm
• Huddle with others, if possible

Helping someone in trouble

When attempting any rescue, always ensure your own safety and don’t put yourself in danger. Find out how to rescue someone safely.

If you and your passengers find yourself exposed to cold water, and are unable to swim to shore or climb onto a floating object, you should assume the huddle position to increase your survival time:

• Place your arms around each other’s mid to lower back and pull together so your chests are close to each other’s sides
• Intertwine your legs
• Place any children in the middle of the huddle
• Keep unnecessary movements to a minimum in order to conserve energy

Heat Escape Lessening Position (H.E.L.P.)

If you find yourself alone and exposed to cold water, use the Heat Escape Lessening Position (H.E.L.P.) to reduce heat loss from your core body temperature and delay the effects of hypothermia.

Few will disagree that the first rule of survival when operating in a cold-water environment is to stay dry.

Water robs body heat up to 25 times faster than air of the same temperature. So when we speak of heat loss, there is no circumstance or condition in which you are better off in cold water than in air, even if you are exposed to wind and sea spray.

If you fall overboard in cold water, your body’s natural cold shock response will be for you to lose control of your breathing as you gasp for air and begin to thrash about in an effort to stay afloat. An important key to cold water survival is very much dependent on your ability to resist this natural reaction.

Admittedly, remaining calm under these circumstances may be impossible. However, if you are aware of your body’s natural response to cold-water immersion you can learn to control your breathing and minimize your state of alarm.

If you do panic, struggle, or begin to swim, the flushing action of cold water against your body’s critical heat-loss areas will speed the loss of muscle control ultimately leaving you incapacitated.

In the event that there are two or more people in the water, huddle together. There will be less heat loss and you will be easier to find. If you are by yourself assume the Heat Escape Lessening Posture, or HELP position. This posture can increase the chances of survival by reducing the amount of body surface area that is directly exposed to cold water. In this position, the chest and knees are in contact with each other rather than being in contact with cold water. If you are not wearing a lifejacket this is a difficult position to maintain.

There is one rule that guarantees your chances of surviving a man overboard accident – don’t be the person in the water! However, if you do fall overboard your chances of survival will primarily depend on two factors:

1. If and how fast your crewmates can turn the boat around and recover you.
2. Whether or not you are wearing a flotation device when the accident occurs.

If the sun, moon, and stars are in alignment and you’re about to be recovered do not swim towards the boat. In cold water you will not be able to swim far enough to make a difference in how fast they recover you and the resulting heat loss could be disabling.

Without wearing some type of flotation device in cold water, your ability to tread water or swim will most likely be measured in minutes. If you are hurt or unconscious and unable to help yourself your survival time will be greatly reduced. Unfortunately, most people rarely wear Personal Flotation Devises or PFD’s – The only way to be sure you’ll have the proper flotation and insulation is if you wear it all the time.

What is the help position in cold water?

What is the help position designed to prevent?

Where do you put your hands in help position?