Thursday, March 19, 2009

Hats, Caps and Other Headwear

Provident Principles and Practices
© David Edwards, 2009

PRINCIPLES: Hats, caps and other headgear may be part of a year’s supply of clothing that we have been asked to acquire (see, for example, J. Reuben Clark, General Conference, April 1937; John. H. Vandenberg, General Conference, October 1966). We also need to consider hats or caps for our disaster supply kits. Warm hats or caps may be needed for winter cold; and hats or other headgear that shade our heads and necks may be needed to protect us from summer sun and heat. Appropriate headgear may be needed during depressions, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and wars, events mentioned as examples to think of when we anticipate possible future needs and make our plans to safeguard our families (First Presidency Message, 6 October 1973).


PRACTICES: Consider storing hats, caps, and other headgear for each family member. We may need hats, caps and other headgear to help us safely weather the elements when we walk, bike, camp or work outdoors. We may need appropriate headgear in disasters to help us evacuate to safer locations; rescue or aid family, friends or others, possibly in distant places; or help with community recovery efforts. These are not times when we want to be badly sunburned on the head or neck or be unduly exposed to cold weather possibly leading to life-threatening hypothermia or frostbite.

Warm Hats and Caps. Families may wish to store warm hats or caps for winter. Much body heat can be lost through uncapped heads in cold weather. Warm hats or caps may be made of wool, fleece or fur. It is desirable for a winter hat or cap to cover one’s ears and keep most of one’s head warm. A pullover wool or fleece stocking cap, balaclava, or ski mask can do it. One or two of these items can be easily kept in a disaster supply kit. Cotton ball caps are generally not sufficiently warm. We may wish to wear warm caps when sleeping outdoors in sleeping bags in cold weather.

UV Protection and Cooling. Hats are important for protecting against UV rays and heat from the sun. Broad-rimmed hats work well. Ball caps offer short brims in front to help shade the upper face, but these caps generally do not offer much protection to the ears, lower face, or the neck, either front or back. A bandana or piece of cloth held in place by a ball cap or other hat and draping down the back of the neck (and possibly also across the ears) may help provide some extra protection against UV rays. If made wet, the bandana or piece of cloth can additionally help cool the head, neck and body via evaporation, provided that ambient humidity is sufficiently low. Evaporative cooling can assist in preventing heat exhaustion and heat stroke, a potential killer in the summer.

Other Headgear and Neckwear. Keep an extra pair of glasses in your disaster supply kit. Consider sunglasses to protect against glare. A wool scarf can provide for extra warmth around your neck in extreme cold. N-95 masks may screen out dust or help protect against pandemic influenza virus in droplets from coughs or sneezes. Ear plugs or other hearing protection may be needed in noisy environments. If you must be outside for any length of time in an area with mosquitoes, you may want to have mosquito netting that fits over your hat and covers your face, other parts of your head and neck. Lanyards around the neck can carry compasses, whistles or other useful emergency items.

Photo Credits:

Man in cowboy hat: "Cowboy Howard Moss of Dixon, Montana, July 1999." Photo by Marta Brooks, for "History of Farming and Ranching: A Study of the Local Culture by St. Ignatius High School," a Montana Local Legacies project, retrieved 19 March 2009 from http://www.americaslibrary.gov/assets/es/mt/es_mt_farming_1_e.jpg

Hat: D. or S. Edwards

Fur cap on Russian woman: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/russian/cathe.jpg

Sun: www.crh.noaa.gov/sgf/Safety/images/sunshine.jpg

Glasses and case: http://www.nlm.nih.govslashmedlineplusslashimagesslashglasses.jpg/

Scarf and wool cap: http://www.nia.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/B9C7F82C-6D1B-42D5-A0A8-7D64D6DE73B9/5444/pic10.jpg
Respirator: http://www.cdc.govslashfeaturesslashmasksrespiratorsslashrespirator.jpg/
Earplug: http://www.lbl.govslashtodayslashimagesslashlabslashearplugs.jpg/
Mosquito net covering: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/lakeumbagog/website.images/current_surveys/mike.cropped.jpg