Good job, Dr. Randy!
Back in the mid seventies, when I was in Cold Bay, AK, researchers from the University of Victoria came to Cold Bay mid winter to experiment with cold water immersion and with equipment that could delay hypothermia. They were in the process of development of the survival suit.
Two professors from UVic arrived, along with a collection of eight graduate students. They rigged up a sling which could be dangled off the dock with a graduate student strapped in so that they couldn't fall off the sling.
Then, they dipped the students into the water, which was right at 33 to 34 degress F. The students were equipped with a rectal thermometer to monitor body temperature.
Experiments started with students wearing normal clothing, including a jacket, then progressed through various experimental designs including various floatation devices, a floatation jacket developed for deck wear, and finally a survival suit.
I've forgot the numbers, but when a student's core temperature dropped a few degrees, they were pulled out of the water. The next student, with the next equipment, was "plugged" with a thermometer and dipped. Etc.
It was a pretty entertaining show to watch. The final stage was to dip each of the students while wearing the survival suit, a full on device developed for long term cold water immersion. Longest a student was dangled off the dock in that suit was around 11 hours, and his body temp still hadn't dropped....it was just dinner time.....
This research proved the value of the survival suit and a few other appliances that could significantly extend survival in cold water.
Mostly, to me at least, it proved unequivically that graduate students will do almost anything to gain favor with their graduate committee and make a few bucks.
Thanks Randy....
MTV