How to Use a Space Blanket

Space or Mylar blankets were first developed by NASA in 1964 for use on the space program. The early ones, developed for use in space, involved a thin layer of aluminium vapour being deposited on a polyethylene sheet. Today, it is a term used to cover all of the gold and silver blankets used by the emergency services. They are very easy to use and are a very useful item to have with you if you are camping or hiking in case you get lost.

Instructions

• 1

  Remove any damp clothing. The reason the blanket is colored silver or gold is because these are the best heat reflectors so damp clothing will minimize the effect.

• 2

  Wrap the blanket around your shoulders and torso. Make sure it is not too tight as this will also reduce the blankets effectiveness.

• 3

  Secure it in place with sticky tape. This will save you having to hold it on yourself.

• 4

  Allow the naturally produced body heat to reflect back onto the body so the body temperature does not drop.

• 5

  Get out of the wind. The blanket is technically windproof but does not necessarily cover the whole body.