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HUDDLE Position
This fun activity teaches the importance of staying together in a group in case of an emergency. Huddling with other people in the water lessens the loss of body heat and is good for morale.
Also, rescuers can spot a group more easily than individuals in a large area of water. If you drift apart, rescuers may not find all of you.
The HUDDLE position is useful for small groups wearing life jackets. It works on the same principle as the HELP position by reducing the loss of body heat.
This is an especially valuable survival technique for children, who develop hypothermia more quickly than adults. Medical researchers say the huddle position can increase your survival time by 50 percent.
Preparation
Get your group to put on two or three layers of clothes, including hooded garments like anoraks or hoodies. You loose 1/3 of you body heat from your unprotected head.
Always wear your life jacket. Even if you become helpless from hypothermia, your life jacket will help keep you afloat. If you don't have life vests, use a buoyant aid like a rescue ring, car tire tube or such.
Start Floating
Jump into the pool and get into a ring-shaped "huddle" position to practice staying afloat as a group.
The younger children go into the middle of the group while everyone else gets as close as possible, holding on to one another by wrapping their legs together and putting their arms around each other.
- Hold on to buoyant bits
- Press the sides of your bodies together
- Put your arms around each other's backs at waist or shoulder level
- Keep a positive outlook - it will increase your survival chances.
Use life jackets and buoyant bits to help you float.
