Emergency Heat Sources

[AZ Prepper]

Emergency Heat Sources
by Kenneth Moravec

Next to air and water, warmth is most essential to survival. Hypothermia, the loss of body heat, is very dangerous and can lead to death. Wet conditions quickly increase the loss of body heat. Following are a few ideas to help keep you warm when traditional heat sources are not available:

Keeping Your Body Warm

1. Dry clothes. If you get wet from rain, snow, or perspiration, change into dry clothes. Wet clothing loses its insulation value and extracts body heat 240 times faster than dry clothing.
2. Hats, mittens (wanner than gloves). Covering your head is vital as you can lose up to 80% of your body heat through your head. A knitted wool stocking hat is good.
3. Boots or shoes lined with foam or insulation. Feet can also be kept warm by wearing dry socks (wool, if possible), wearing two pair of .socks if your shoes are large enough to fit them comfortably (or put an extra pair of socks on over the shoes). A towel could also be wrapped over shoes and duct-taped on.
4. Wool clothing and blankets. Cotton clothing, particularly denim, retains water. Wool clothing is insulating, water resistant, and keeps your body warm even if it is wet.
5. Layered clothing. Several thin layers of loose-fitting clothing retain body heat and can be removed easily to prevent perspiring and chilling.
6. Water and wind-resistant outer clothing, preferably with a hood. Covering your mouth with hood or scarf keeps cold air from your lungs.
7. Sleeping bags. Two or more people huddled together inside two sleeping bags zipped together will be warmer than each in separate sleeping bags. A smaller bag can also be placed inside a larger-sized one, or a blanket can be used as a liner.
8. Car heater. If trapped in your car during a snowstorm, run heater 10 minutes every hour. Make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked by snow and open one window a crack to allow ventilation.
9. Mylar blankets or emergency bags. Good in wind or rain. Put a wool blanket between you and the Mylar blanket, if possible.
10. Survival candles, safety heat (in can), and hand warmers.
11. Rice-filled packs (or socks filled with rice and tied) that have been heated, perhaps in a can in a fire or coals. They will maintain heat for a period of time. Rocks or bricks can also be heated thoroughly, then carefully wrapped in towels or newspapers.
12. Thermal undergarments.
13. Insulated clothing.
    • A. Open-cell foam rubber.
    • B. Leaves, newspaper, straw, etc. (stuffed between two layers of clothing). Tie your shoe laces around the cuffs of your pants to hold materials in. If you were trapped in a car during a snowstorm, use the stuffing from the seat cushions.
14. Plastic garbage bag. Can be worn as a rain jacket or can insulate body if stuffed with dry leaves or grass.

Heating Indoor and Outdoor Areas
Matches (waterproof or metal), steel wool and batteries, or lighters are needed to start a fire.

Indoors

1. Wood or coal for use in a fireplace or woad-burning stove.
2. One room: have all family members stay in one room (closing off other rooms) to conserve heat source and to provide body warmth for each other.

Outdoors

1. Fire pits.
2. Dig a hole (about 2' x 4'), put some rocks in and build a fire in it. When it's out, cover the hole with dirt. The area will stay warm quite a long time. You can put your sleeping bag over the area.
3. Snow cave. Use a shovel or empty large can, etc. to build. Make it large enough to lie down in and elevate the sleeping area above the floor area for extra warmth. Poke air holes in ceiling (larger ones if building a fire or lighting a stove) and close off entrance with snow, back pack, etc. Put insulation under your sleeping bag, such as leaves, grass, straw, newspaper, etc. and cover with plastic. Wear a wool cap to bed.
4. Shelter. Use a tarp, plastic sheet, or space blanket to build a lean-to by draping over a low-hanging branch or tall stick and anchoring with rocks or logs.
5. Cave, rock cove, or rock wall. Find a natural shelter protected from the wind and insulate ground with leaves and branches. Building a fire will create an oven effect as it reflects off the rock faces.

Sources
Anthony Acerrano. "Shelter from the Storm: How to Get Warm Without Getting Fancy." Sports Afield, Nov. 1997, 40-1.
Boy Scouts of America. Emergency Preparedness. 1995.
Barry G. Crockett and Lynnette B. Crockett. 72-Hour Family Emergency Preparedness Checklist. 1997.
Emergency Preparedness Handbook for Missionaries. 1991.
Mark Jenkins. "The Test of Your Life. "Backpacker, June 1995,45-7.
Jim Phillips. Without Fire or Shelter (video). 1999.