In cold-water conditions, what is the immediate action to reduce hypothermia risk after a person goes overboard?

• A. Pull them immediately aboard without assistance
• B. Keep the person afloat with a PFD, minimize movement to conserve heat, and start a controlled recovery as soon as practical
• C. Remove their life jacket
• D. Call Mayday and wait for rescue

Answer: (B)

In cold water, the fastest way to limit hypothermia is to keep the person buoyant, protect their airway, and minimize heat loss while you plan the lift. Keeping them afloat with a life jacket or PFD ensures they remain buoyant and reduces the energy they must expend to stay on the surface, which helps slow heat loss. Minimizing movement is important because activity in cold water increases heat loss through convection and metabolism, so the goal is to conserve as much body heat as possible. A controlled recovery as soon as practical means organizing a safe, steady way to bring them aboard or to safety without rushing or jostling them, which helps prevent additional heat loss and stress. While you should call for help early, the immediate action to reduce hypothermia risk is to keep them buoyant, limit movement, and begin a calm, planned recovery. Removing the life jacket or pulling them aboard abruptly can increase risk to both the person and the rescuer.