Tepid water is defined as moderately warm or lukewarm.
There are problems relating to a fifteen minute sustained time in cold water for any individual and particularly for a person who is already in or subject to traumatic shock. Cold water provides an initial cooling to the affected tissue, which provides some comfort to the victim. However, the body quickly begins to react to the cold by shivering in order to fight off cold and generate body heat. The sustained flow of cold water increases the loss of body heat beyond the body's ability to maintain adequate temperature levels and further stimulates the metabolic rate to compensate. Fail safe operation is assured through an electrically controlled system that will not permit over-temperature water to exit the system.