Find a shovel made out of light material, such as aluminum or plastic. Make sure the handle is long enough to prevent you from bending forward while you shovel. Hypothermia is a drop in body temperature to 95 degrees or less and can be fatal if not detected promptly and treated properly. In the United States, about 700 deaths occur each year from hypothermia. When the body temperature drops, the blood vessels near the surface of the body narrow to reduce heat loss.
Muscles begin to tighten to make heat.
If the body temperature continues to drop, the person will begin to shiver. The shivering continues until the temperature drops to about 90 degrees. Temperatures below 90 degrees create a life-threatening situation. If you notice that a person has any of the symptoms listed in the table below, take his or her temperature. If it is 95 degrees or below, get help immediately.