Emergency interventions due to weather-related hypothermia

Abstract

This paper presents the analysis of medical rescue team interventions related to cases of hypothermia over the period 2008–2012 in a selected area of the Lublin Region, in southeast Poland. We compared the interventions to weather conditions, based on the bioclimatic Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). This paper focuses on cases of hypothermia on days with at least slight cold stress, when the UTCI value is < 9°C. The results show that the most frequent interventions in cases of hypothermia are during relatively low heat load involving cold stress, corresponding with air temperatures (at low wind velocities) oscillating around zero (approximately ±5degC). Although we can prevent hypothermia and cold-related diseases, even in the twenty-first century there are people suffering due to cold. This paper contains advice for policymakers assisting the prevention of hypothermia in the most vulnerable groups of society.