04/09/2026
The injury might be obvious. The cold isn’t always. ❄️
When someone is injured on the snow, our attention naturally goes straight to what hurts. But while we’re assessing the injury, that person may be sitting or lying motionless on a freezing surface, and continuing to lose heat.
Cold exposure can quickly become another problem you need to manage.
A few simple priorities:
• Get them insulated from the snow or ground where possible
• Protect them from wind and further heat loss
• Keep unnecessary exposure to a minimum during assessment
• Get ski patrol or other appropriate help involved early
Good first aid isn’t just treating the injury in front of you. It’s recognising what else the environment is doing to your patient.
Prepare. Perform. Prevail.