TempoLife › First aid guides › hypothermia

Hypothermia

Warming someone who has become dangerously cold.

In an emergency, call your emergency number first — 112 across the EU. This is general information, not a substitute for hands-on first-aid training or professional medical care. If you are unsure, call for help and follow the dispatcher's instructions.

When to use this

Suspect it when someone is cold, shivering, clumsy, confused or drowsy after exposure to cold or wet.

Step by step

1. Move the person out of the cold and shelter them from wind and rain.
2. Remove wet clothing and replace it with dry layers or blankets, covering the head too.
3. Warm them gradually with blankets and, if available, warm (not hot) drinks and sugary food — only if they are fully alert.
4. Handle them gently and keep them still; rough movement can be dangerous when very cold.
5. Call 112 if they are very cold, confused, drowsy, or stop shivering — these are signs of severe hypothermia.

What not to do

• Do not rub or massage the limbs.
• Do not use direct intense heat such as a hot bath or heater against the skin.

Emergency numbers

112 reaches emergency services across the European Union and much of the world, often even without a SIM or signal from your own network. Some countries keep additional local numbers.

Other first-aid guides

Source: Steps paraphrase widely-accepted guidance from bodies such as the European Resuscitation Council and national Red Cross societies. General information, not a substitute for training. · checked 2026-09-04

Frequently asked questions