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The Cold Reality
Cold kills more people than all other weather-related causes combined
Areas with the mildest winters actually have higher death rates from cold than those with colder winters. This is primarily due to poor preparation and lack of information on how to keep warm.
Source: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)
Cold doesn't care who you are
US Deaths due to exposure to excessive natural cold as the underlying and contributing cause.
US hypothermia related deaths
1990 - 2011 by Gender
From 1999 to 2011, a total of 16,911 deaths in the United States, an average of 1,301 per year, were associated with exposure to excessive natural cold. Approximately 67% of hypothermia-related deaths were among males.
Males
Females
Sources: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
A Colder Reality
Extreme cold kills more people than all other weather-related causes combined
US deaths due to weather-related events
Source: National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Cato Institute
Cold had no regard for age
Children lose body heat as much as 68% faster than adults, and are at much greater risk for hypothermia.
Hypothermia line
Adults
Children
Time Relative to Ambient Temperature
Rate of radiative heat loss*
* Based on metobolic mass to body surface area (BSA)
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