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How Did Two Teenagers Survive the Harsh Winter of the Canadian Wild?

Canada has one of the harshest winters of any country on the planet. Canadians are often exposed to dangerously cold weather, which can have a negative impact on their health. Wind chills values that are less than -27 increase your risk of health effects such as windburn and frostbite. Because of this, it was highly unlikely that two teenage boys would have survived winter in a forest in Canada. 

The two boys burned the homework that was in their backpacks to build fire to keep warm. They also managed to build a shelter to survive the extremely cold in the forest. They were rescued the following day and only suffered minor injuries.

How Did They Manage to Survive A Cold Harsh Winter Night? 

Two snowboarding teenagers spent a blistery cold night in the backcountry near Nelson, British Columbia, are safe after being discovered by a search team. And this is thanks to some schoolwork they ended up burning to keep themselves warm.

When the teens did not return from an out-of-bounds area near the Whitewater Ski Resort on Sunday night, the rescue team received a call. This is when the search for the 16-year-old boys started. The search was paused for a while as the weather deteriorated. A helicopter was called in to assist in the search for the couple, who were spotted by the aircrew.

They’re extremely lucky, o tell you the truth, I didn’t think the helicopter was going to be able to fly because it was snowing at the time. But the ceiling must’ve just lifted enough for them to fly into the valley and pick these kids up.

Jim Kyle, Manager of Nelson Search and Rescue

Kyle explained that they had built a fire and a shelter for warmth and had decided to stay put.

One young person had homework in his backpack and that definitely helped keep the fire going, They did all the right things.

Jim Kyle, Manager of Nelson Search and Rescue

Kyle also mentioned that the teenagers were discovered in good spirits but cold, with frostnip on their hands. Frostnip is less severe than frostbite and does not cause permanent tissue damage if caught in time. The two teenagers were taken to the hospital for a medical examination before being released which they had negative results and were perfectly healthy. (Source: CBC Canada

What is the Canadian Government Doing About the Harsh Winters?

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are dedicated to maintaining and improving Canadian health in general. The agencies are collaborating with partners to understand better the effects of extreme cold on citizens’ health, particularly those who are most vulnerable and promote efforts to reduce these risks.

The Meteorological Service of Environment Canada provides Canadians with as much advance notice as possible about potentially hazardous weather and tips on how to report and prepare for it. The Public Alerting Program assists people in taking precautions to protect themselves and their property by issuing warnings, watches, and particular statements.
In addition to public alerts, Environment Canada issues special mariner alerts to warn mariners of potentially hazardous marine weather, ice conditions, or icebergs. (Source: CBC Canada)

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