Since the 1980's more than 400 people in Missouri have died from hypothermia.
Hypothermia happens when your body's core temperature drops below 94 degrees. Some people call it exposure and it can happen before you know it.

In our final part of our series "Surviving the Ozarks" we'll show you how to prevent this silent killer if you take an accidental plunge.
We' went canoeing in the spring fed Niangua River, when our canoe tipped.

You don't have to be wet to be at risk for hypothermia, but if you end up in 50 degree water like this -- or worse... your chances are a lot greater.

“Hypothermia... it can happen real fast when you get a little bit of wind it can be 50 degrees,” says Bo Brown of First earth Wilderness School.
Our survivalist expert is going to help me show you how to stay alive in this situation.

“First thing you want to do is get as much out as you can wring out,” he says.
“There's all that weedy stuff out here and you're going to get it and make a dead air space between your clothes and your body.”

This stuff is scratchy, but it's working. Like a layer of grassy goose down, it's helping my body warm, back up.

“You've got a limited amount of time to do this if it's really cold before things start stiffening up and you can't use your hands,” Brown says. “It aint going to be the most comfortable thing you do but it will save your life.”

The most important thing to remember is to get dry first. Then you can make a shelter or a fire.

“You're going to be set up to stay active long enough to get your fire together,” Brown said.

Hypothermia generally occurs during cold weather, under 60 degrees but it can occur at any temperature.
It happens much more quickly in the elderly and chronically ill.

If you missed any of our wild Wednesday's you can search our website for “Surviving the Ozarks” for the other stories.