Toss this to BossyCow. That is her area of expertise.
I do have a scenario you might want to use. It ended up going ALS but started as a SAR rescue. Actual case and to date my creepiest call ever.
86 yo male hx of osteomyelitis, TIAs, CHF, Diabetes. Gentleman is described by neighbors as 'a bit odd'. He has a nice three bedroom home in the front of his 30 acre property. He has chosen however, to move into a cement block bunker deep in the timber central to the property. According to the neighbors he's worried that Microsoft is trying to take his property away and has set up booby traps on some of the trails.
One of the neighbors does shopping for the man. They had left a shopping bag on the man's doorknob at the bunker 24 hrs previous. Went back the next day, bag still untouched, no fire in the stove at the bunker. Called Sheriff's office and SAR was initiated.
SAR teams did a hasty search of house, bunker areas and known trails frequented by the subject but by 6pm, area was dark and search was called off at 9pm to resume at daylight the next day.
9am the next day, subject was located, supine, lying in uneven terrain, covered in salal. It appeared that subject had slipped down slight incline under the bushes. On initial exam by non-ems SAR tech, subject appeared to be deceased. Skin pale, waxen, hands raised in apparent rigor with visible lividity to hands and forearms.
Two SAR EMTs arrived, checked for pulse, carotid pulse was barely palpable and estimated @ less than 40bpm. Respirations erratic, shallow and estimated @ less than 5 pm. Pt was alert to verbal reacting to voice commands by swallowing, eye movement behind closed lids, inspiration upon command.
Pt is at high risk for cardiac compromise from movement. Pt also had become incontinent and was soaked with urine and lying on wet ground. The air temp was 48° F. ground beneath pt was loose, soft forest duff (unsuitable base for CPR if needed). ALS was enroute ETA 4 minutes. Pt was in the woods and would have to be transported via stokes or any other means to closest vehicle access aprox 200 yds from location where pt was found.
Additional.. pts core temp was 86° (determined at ER) Pt lived but ended up in a nursing home. He did regain consciousness but apparently had suffered a CVA
And some links:
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/hypocold.shtml
http://www.hypothermia.org/protocol.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d001201-d001300/d001216/d001216.html
