The heat escape lessening position (HELP), is a way to position oneself to reduce heat loss in cold water. It involves essentially positioning one’s knees together and hugging them close to the chest using one’s arms. Furthermore, groups of people can huddle together in this position to conserve body heat, offer moral support and provide a larger target for rescuers.
The HELP is an attempt to reduce heat loss enough to lessen the effect of hypothermia. Hypothermia is a condition where, essentially, bodily temperature drops too low to perform normal voluntary or involuntary functions. Cold water causes a type of this called immersion hypothermia, that can cause damage to extremities or the body’s core.
