The Star Wars Challenge

Anyway, I really doubt one could be heated too quickly from body heat. But, it might be worth a look see?

What I was wondering is could you break away and build a shelter while trying to care for an extreme hypothermia patient...

And I was further wondering if any of you know if the first case of this being used (survival situation of some sort) was it one patient and one caregiver? Did the caregiver leave the patient alone to build the shelter? If so, did that work? Was it as cold as Hoth is apparently supposed to be?

Or, they came upon the patient late (up on a mountain, for instance?)

It was when ships were sent out to look for the North West passage, so it would be the far north of Canada on the edge of the Arctic Circle*. The victims were part of groups of sailors travelling on foot, so there were more than two people around in addition to the victim.

In Han's case, he wasn't using the trick to save Luke just to give himself the time needed to build a shelter around them - something he notes in the film. We don't know how long Han needed to put up the shelter, since we know nothing about its design nor can we guess from looking at footage. A Semi educated guess, based on existing technology and what is reasonable for a SW setting, is that it would only take five or ten minutes for Han to erect the shelter even in the conditions seen in the film.

(*If memory serves the Hoth scenes were filmed at more or less the same latitude, so the conditions would have been very similar to what is seen in the film. In fact the scene where we see Luke staggering through the snow in a blizzard was filmed from the doorway of the hotel where the cast and crew were staying - which gives some idea as to how bad the weather at such latitudes can get.)

Well, they tested "squeezed into a dive helmet" for just its general facts. So, it really wouldn't surprise me if they looked at something like this one for similar reasons. (On squeezed into a dive helmet, I'd hoped they'd specifically look at getting the diver *completely* into the helmet -- what they ended up looking at instead was just if divers could get squeezed into there in general)

Now, after discussing all this, I wish they'd actually make a SW episode.

I can imagine they'd dress out such an episode with all sorts of clips from the original films. And, even though I could always dust off the videos and watch them again myself, seeing them played out on MythBusters would be all the more entertaining, I'd think. (Don't really know why)

I still that think if they ever called into question if a pilot (not using targeting equip) could hit a "two-meter" object in a direct, one-shot bull's eye (not strafe), I'd personally like to see them use a giant cut out of Mickey Mouse. (or maybe George Lucas, instead, -- or both?)

I was busy finding the drill footage while you were deleting my bragging, so I didn't see the comment until after I posted.
(and to keep matters clear - my "slacking" comment was BRAGGING about how good my department's water rescue team is.)

{I suspected as much, which is why I moved the post to the graveyard rather than deleting it. I also suspected that you were not intending to give offence, but it did appear as though some offence had been taken which is why the posts in question were moved - CM}

the original claim was made assuming the targeting systems were going to be in use - therefore it is testable. the only objection might be that someone might claim that Luke was using the force, ANYWAY, despite not being trained. (like Anakin was unknowingly using the force in podracing)

and I don't really picture Adam with the gravitas of a Jedi knight.

No. The choice is either just erecting the shelter (albeit quickly) OR trying to erect the shelter while also being hyper-vigilant, monitor for a pulse or heart rate as often as possible somehow. Could one person manage that well enough is my question -- and I assert, probably not for this entire situation.

If you were not trained as a rescuer specifically for this situation, (where Han, being a sort of pirate (with military background? not sure) may not have been trained for this -- unless the command on Hoth thought to pre-screen and train everyone for this beforehand)

Not much to go on, I know. But, if a group of people (as apparently was the case for the first real use of this technique) are rescuing a hypothermia patient, constantly monitoring for breathing and pulse is likely far easier (for a group).

Well, when last seen, Luke was making noises "Ben? Ben!... Dagobah System"

As long as Luke keeps that sort of thing up, Han is free to assemble the shelter (within earshot)

The moment Luke becomes silent, however, Han's probably only got a few moments to begin CPR whether the shelter is assembled or not, I'd think.

Lack of chest compression (when no pulse -- CPR steps tells you if you have pulse or not), lack of compressions is likely to end a life more quickly than cold.

And yet, Soldier Medic manual tells a medic that personal safety comes first.. So, yes, Han would continue to build the shelter for his own safety, if following that sort of doctrine. What Han is actually likely to do is up in the air. But, then again, he chose to take care of Luke's warmth needs before assembling the shelter. So, perhaps he doesn't follow similar thinking laid out in the Soldier Medic manual after all. If that's so, then he might tend to Luke's needs (monitoring for pulse while assembling the shelter) This is risky for Han, but he seems genuinely concerned for Luke and might look past his own safety by trying to tend to Luke while building the shelter.