Bryan Fleischman

“Cold exposure in remote environments can turn routine calls into life-threatening emergencies. Hypothermia doesn’t just lower body temperature—it impairs cognition, reduces motor function, and can rapidly overwhelm patients when darkness, wind, wet clothing, and prolonged extrication times work against them. This session delivers a practical, field-focused approach to recognizing and managing hypothermia when resources are limited and evacuation is delayed. Participants will learn to differentiate mild, moderate, and severe hypothermia without relying on core temperature devices, using clinical findings and environmental factors to guide interventions. The session will cover high-yield rewarming strategies, including improvised hypowraps, vapor barriers, heat-pack placement, and methods to prevent further conductive and evaporative heat loss. Cold-water immersion, trauma in cold environments, afterdrop physiology, and the dangers of rough handling will also be addressed. Case-based scenarios will illustrate when to rewarm on scene, when to move patients immediately, and how to protect rescuers operating in freezing conditions. Whether responding as EMS, SAR, fire-rescue, or wilderness personnel, attendees will gain practical, real-world skills to stabilize hypothermic patients and overcome environmental challenges when every minute—and every degree—matters.”