First 3 Phases of Cold Water Immersion and the 1-10-1 Principal
What are the first 3 phases of cold water immersion that you would experience when you accidentally end up in cold water.
1. Skin Gets Cold
- Known as Cold Shock Response
- Lasts 1-2 Minutes
- Your body would react with a gasp, hyperventilation, cardiac work
2. Muscles and Nerves Get Cold
- Known as Cold Incapacitation
- Lasts 2 – 20 Minutes
- Your body would react with increasing weakness and incoordination
3. The Core Gets Cold
- Hypothermia
- >30 minutes and progresses from mild to severe
- Core body temperature drops from 37 degrees C to 35 degrees C
A simple way to remember the first three phases of cold water immersion and the approximate time each phase takes. Learn the 1-10-1 Principle.
1 Minute
to get your breathing under control.
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Cold Shock Response – Do not panic!
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An initial deep and sudden gasp followed by hyperventilation and that can be as much as 600 – 1000% greater than normal breathing. You must keep your airway clear or run the risk of drowning. The Cold Shock Response will pass in about 1 minute. During that time, concentrate on getting control of your breathing and avoiding panic. Wearing a lifejacket during this phase is critically important to keep you afloat and keep your head above water so that your airway is open and you can continue breathing.
10 Minutes
of meaningful movement.
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Cold Incapacitation
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Over approximately the next 10 minutes you will lose the effective use of your fingers, arms, and legs for any meaningful movement, including swimming. During these first 10 or so minutes, concentrate on self-rescue initially, and if that isn’t possible, prepare to have a way to keep your airway clear to wait for rescue. Swim failure will occur within these critical minutes and if you are in the water without a lifejacket, drowning will likely occur.
1 Hour
before you become unconscious due to hypothermia.
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Hypothermia
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Even in ice water, it could take approximately 1 hour before becoming unconscious due to hypothermia. If you understand the aspects of hypothermia, techniques of how to delay it, self-rescue and calling for help, your chances of survival and rescue will be dramatically increased.
