Polar Bear Prep 101

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Cold nights, combined with the 1st season of The Colony, has left me thinking about how well Papa and I would do here at home with our two cubs if we lost power for more than the typical 2-3 hours.  A house-fire or an earthquake could force us out of our home altogether and into low temperatures, made worse by wind and nightfall.  This is Polar Bear Prep 101, to keep the mood light in a potentially frightening situation.  Polar bears are superbly insulated and dressed to survive extremely low temperatures.


Even though you can't prepare for every potential disaster, there IS value in preparing for the disasters that are probable for your area.  If you survive, you will then be able to protect and rehabilitate others.  If the worst should happen and you do not survive, your neighbors and family members may still benefit from the items you acquired in preparation.


Our freeze-free period lasts an average of 167 days of the year, and on average January is our coldest month.  This month, especially after night fall, a power outage---generally a minor and short-lived inconvenience---could create a real need for warmth.


Here is a basic list of items you'll want for warmth: 
*No cotton.  When it's wet cotton is worthless as an insulator and heavy.
}  knit hat, if possible one that covers your ears---most heat is lost through your head
}  scarf---if possible, use it to cover your ears and neck
}  ear warmers
}  thermal socks
}  winter shoes
}  gloves
}  hand warmers
}  thermal underwear
}  dry clothes---"wick, warmth, and weather"
}  blankets---newspaper is a better cover than no cover
}  sleeping bag
}  a method for drying wet clothes
}  a method for heating/boiling water, for warm drinks
}  hugs and snuggling---to create warmth


For the most comfort you may also want to research:
}  alternative sources of electricity
}  battery-powered and other sources of heat
}  other forms of shelter


                                                                              ***
Fortunately, your body has two built-in mechanisms to protect you from the cold:
1}  In an effort to insulate itself and limit the amount of heat you lose to the environment, it'll move blood away from your skin and outer extremities---ears, fingers, toes---and toward its core.
2}  You will shiver. 

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ULTIMATELY, the cold-weather illnesses you're trying to prevent are Hypothermia and Frostbite. 


Hypothermia---Your body has lost more heat than it's producing and your core body temperature has dropped---mild hypothermia sets in at about 95 degrees F (Fahrenheit).  Your body loses heat about 25 times faster in water than air---if you're forced to choose between being wet or going naked, go naked.  In terms of symptoms, hypothermia will affect your body's core---the brain, heart, lungs, and other vital organs.


Frostbite---Your skin has fallen below the freezing point (32 degrees F, or zero degrees Celsius/Centigrade) and ice crystals are forming within your skin cells, killing them.  Your ears, fingers, toes and other areas prone to reduced blood flow in cold temperatures are also more prone to frostbite.

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There are millions of results for key words such as "frostbite," "hypothermia," and "cold weather survival"---please feel welcome to post a helpful link!

A.