Operating in Cold Weather

When the Temperature Drops, the Risks Rise

Every Seattle fire fighter knows the routine—you’re working in intense heat one moment, then stepping into freezing cold the next. It’s part of our job, but it carries serious risks we can’t ignore. When the thermometer hits 35°F, our department activates cold-weather procedures for a good reason.

What Cold Does to Your Body (And Why It Matters)

Hypothermia officially starts when your core body temperature falls below 95°F, but cold-related issues can occur well before that. Your body’s initial response to cold is protective—your blood vessels constrict to preserve warmth in your vital organs. However, as cold exposure continues, this restricted blood flow can become dangerous. Hypothermia can develop even at temperatures above 40°F if you get wet from rain or sweat, or if you are exposed to cold water for prolonged periods. 

Several factors can turn a manageable cold situation into a dangerous one. Wind chill greatly increases heat loss, causing exposed skin and wet clothing to cool much faster than the air temperature alone would suggest. Wet conditions from fire fighting efforts, long incident durations, and quick changes between extreme temperatures all increase the risk, making it harder for the body to maintain a safe core temperature. Personal factors also play a significant role in how individuals respond to cold. Your fitness level and ability to adapt to colder environments play a significant role, as do age and underlying health issues. A history of past cold injuries can increase vulnerability, while current fatigue or dehydration further weakens the body’s defenses against cold stress.

Recognizing the warning signs of hypothermia is essential because the symptoms can catch you off guard when you’re focused on your task. These warning signs can appear before conditions like chilblains (swollen, blistering patches on your hands and feet) and frostbite:

• Headache and mental confusion (the “umbles”—stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, grumbles)
• Numbness and pale, waxy-looking skin
• Dehydration (yes, even in cold weather)
• Low blood pressure and slow responses, including sluggish pupil reaction
• Muscle stiffness and rigid posture

Rehab Strategies: Flipping the Script

Most of what we commonly focus on for fire fighter rehabilitation centers on cooling techniques such as mist fans, ice baths, and rapid temperature drops. However, in cold weather, we must adopt a completely different approach. Traditional evaporative cooling, which works well in warm conditions, can actually raise the risk of hypothermia during cold operations. The wet gear that helps cool us in summer turns into a liability when it’s freezing outside. The combination of moisture and cold air creates an ideal scenario for quick heat loss. Cold-weather operations demand a fundamental shift in rehabilitation priorities. While traditional rehab emphasizes cooling, in cold environments we need to turn to active warming strategies, such as

• Consuming warm, non-caffeinated beverages to maintain hydration and core temperature.
• Taking advantage of sheltered warming areas protected from wind and precipitation.
• Changing out of wet gear immediately upon entering rehab, not after.
• Extending rehab time to allow adequate rewarming before returning to operations.
• Using chemical heat packs for hands and feet when appropriate.

Adopt This Cold-Weather Personal Monitoring Protocol

Cold weather operations create unique physiological demands that require fire fighters to become active participants in their own safety monitoring. While you’re focused on the tactical objectives at hand, your body is working overtime to maintain core temperature, often while performing intense physical labor in heavy gear.

Heart Rate Awareness: Your heart rate tells a crucial story during cold-weather ops. While an elevated heart rate during exertion is expected, be alert to unusually rapid or irregular rhythms that don’t match your activity level. Cold stress can increase cardiac workload as your body redirects blood flow to vital organs, and this is compounded by the physical demands of fire fighting. If you notice your heart racing during relatively light activity or experience palpitations, it’s time to alert your officer and take a break.

Breathing Pattern Recognition: Monitor your respiratory rate and effort throughout the operation. Rapid, shallow breathing that doesn’t improve with a brief pause may indicate cold stress or overexertion. Cold air can trigger bronchospasm in some individuals, making it more difficult to breathe. If you find yourself unable to catch your breath, feeling chest tightness, or experiencing unusual shortness of breath, don’t push through it—communicate with your team immediately.

Hydration Status: Dehydration in cold weather is insidious because you may not feel the urge to drink. Monitor for signs such as dark urine, decreased urination frequency, dry mouth, headache, or fatigue that seem disproportionate to your level of exertion. Cold-induced diuresis (increased urination) exacerbates fluid loss, and your heavy gear causes significant sweating even in freezing temperatures. Track your fluid intake and output during extended operations.

Trust Your Instincts: Your body’s warning signals deserve respect. Excessive shivering, numbness in extremities, confusion, unusual clumsiness, or a feeling that “something’s not right” are all valid reasons to speak up. The culture of toughness in the fire service is valuable, but it should never override personal safety monitoring. Early intervention for cold-related stress is far easier than managing a medical emergency in challenging conditions.

Finally, establish buddy checks within your crew—peer monitoring adds an extra layer of safety since cold stress can impair self-assessment. Make it standard practice to ask each other, “How are you doing?” and expect honest answers.

Make the Cold-Weather Mindshift this Winter

The numbers tell the story: approximately 25,000 hypothermia-related deaths occur each year in the USA. Although Seattle has mild winters and most hypothermia-related deaths aren’t in our line of work, hypothermia remains a threat.

The data highlights why a cold-weather mindshift matters. We’re not just adapting to uncomfortable conditions—we’re managing genuine physiological threats that can compromise both individual safety and mission success. 

Stay safe, stay warm, stay ready.

Terry’s Tips for Cold Weather Operations