Death and Survival Behavior in Cold Water
Cold water immersion is the most rapidly lethal environmental exposure on planet earth. This is illustrated by work-related death statistics obtained by the U.S. Coast Guard on commericial fishing vessels where death rates approach 180 deaths per 100,000 people per year and where 75% of these deaths result from fishermen falling overboard. The risk of death of cold water immersion on commercial fishing boats is quoted to be 15 times more deadly than firefighting.