Staying Warm Without Power: Emergency Layering and Shelter

Staying warm in an emergency is about trapping the heat your body already makes and keeping moisture away from your skin. Cold causes problems quickly, from poor judgment to hypothermia, so it pays to know the basics. This guide covers clothing, shelter and common mistakes.

How you lose heat

Your body loses heat through conduction (contact with cold surfaces), convection (moving air), radiation and evaporation (sweat and wet clothing). Good cold-weather strategy blocks all four: insulate from the ground, block wind, keep a layer of trapped air around you and stay dry.

The three-layer system

1. Base layer. Sits against your skin and moves moisture away. Choose merino wool or synthetic fabrics, and avoid cotton, which holds water and chills you.
2. Insulating layer. Traps warm air. Fleece, down or synthetic fill jackets all work. Down is warm and light but loses insulation when wet; synthetic keeps more warmth when damp.
3. Shell layer. Blocks wind and rain or snow. In an emergency, even a heavy-duty garbage bag or poncho can serve as a temporary shell.

Add a hat, gloves or mittens and warm socks, since heat escapes quickly from the head and extremities. Mittens are generally warmer than gloves.

Adjust as you go

Overheating and sweating makes you colder later. Remove a layer before you start sweating and add it back when you slow down. Keep a dry spare set of socks and base layer in a waterproof bag.

Warming a room at home

• Choose a small interior room and close the door.
• Hang blankets over windows and seal gaps beneath doors with towels.
• Put a rug or foam pad on the floor and sleep off the floor if possible.
• Group together; shared body heat helps in a small space.

Never use a gas stove, oven, grill or unvented heater to heat your home. Carbon monoxide can build up without warning.

Emergency shelter gear

Item Best use Note

Mylar space Wrap-around or ground Cheap and light but fragile and non-blanket reflector breathable

Emergency bivy Sleeping bag substitute Reflects body heat; condensation can build up

Tarp and cord Overhead shelter Highly versatile for outdoor setups

Sleeping pad Ground insulation A critical, often forgotten piece

Sleeping bag Core warmth Choose a rating below the lowest temperature you expect

Recognize hypothermia

Early signs include shivering, clumsy movements, slurred speech and confusion. If someone is showing these signs, move them out of the cold, remove wet clothing, wrap them in dry layers and insulate them from the ground. Offer warm, sweet drinks if they

are alert, and call emergency services for severe symptoms. Do not rub the skin or use direct high heat.

Next step

Shop shelter and cold-weather gear.