Rescue blankets have two different sides of film: one is silver and the other is gold.
”The silver side reduces heat build-up caused by excessive sunlight,” says Jürgen Lebherz, an emergency help expert from a consumer advice centre in Germany.
If the person you are trying to help is at risk of heatstroke, turn the rescue blanket so that the silver side is facing outwards and use it to protect against the sun, he says.
If you turn it the other way round, with the gold side on top, the blanket has a different effect, preventing the person beneath it from cooling down.
“This is particularly important in the event of shock,” says Lebherz of TÜV Süd.
To keep the heat out, silver side out; keep the person warm, silver side in, is your guideline if you are in doubt and trying to aid someone in need. – dpa
