Polar Products, a body cooling manufacturer in Northeast Ohio, has developed an innovative new portable, collapsible cold water immersion system to facilitate the rapid cooling of persons experiencing exertional heat illness, heat stress and heat stroke.

Between 1999 and 2010, exposure to excessive heat claimed 7,415 lives across the United States1. Deaths and injuries related to exertional heat stroke can be avoided when immediate cold water immersion occurs within 10 minutes.2

In 2014, National Athletic Trainers’ Association released new guidelines for managing heat stress in athletes. The NATA Exertional Heat Illness Position Statement identified cold water immersion as “the most effective way to treat a patient with exertional heat stroke”3 and recommends cooling the athlete first prior to EMS transport.

The patent pending Polar Life Pod® is the only product available designed specifically for portable, on-demand cold water immersion. The unique design also minimizes the amount of water required for effective full body immersion. From football fields to agricultural fields, the Polar Life Pod® is an affordable and essential piece of safety equipment for anyone working or playing in hot environments.

The inventor of the Polar Life Pod®, Mike Laycox, is a paramedic and licensed athletic trainer and was a certified emergency room RN with over 30 years of experience in the fields of clinical sports medicine, emergency room and EMS.

“During my 30 years of working in the fields of emergency and sports medicine, I have witnessed poor patient outcome as a result of the lack of preparedness for heat emergencies,” Laycox said. “I designed the Polar Life Pod® to ensure that there would always be equipment readily available to quickly facilitate cold water immersion.”

The Polar Life Pod® is packaged in a convenient gym bag, making it readily available for coaches and athletic trainers to have on the sideline for immediately cooing overheated athletes. The collapsible and portable design is ideal for use at sporting events, outdoor concerts and outdoor work of all kinds.

Polar Products Inc., established in Akron, Ohio in 1984, is a family-owned business that manufactures body cooling and therapy products for a variety of markets including medical, recreational, industrial, government and the military.