July 28, 2008
Recently I was performing routine maintenance on my boat, sweating in the hot, humid Florida sun when heat-related emergencies came to mind.
The first thing I want to stress is prevention of heat-related emergencies. Think in terms of ounces ounces of water, that is; not alcohol, coffee, tea or soda, which dehydrate you. When working or playing outdoors in the heat, you should drink a lot of cool water each hour. Notice I said cool not cold, because very cold drinks may cause stomach cramps.
Many things can cause heat-related emergencies, for starters high temperatures and high humidity. Often, these affect the body's ability to cool itself. When the humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate quickly. This slows the body's ability to release heat.
Below are three common heat-related emergencies and I will briefly explain symptoms and how to help someone exhibiting these symptoms.
Heat cramps
Heat cramps generally occur when we sweat a lot, depleting the body's salt and moisture. Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms usually felt in the arms, abdomen or legs. When they occur, stop what you are doing, try to sit in a cool place and relax, drink clear juice or Gatorade, and wait at least a few hours before returning to work. Seek medical attention if the symptoms are severe or do not go away in an hour.
Heat exhaustion
Like heat cramps, heat exhaustion is also caused by exposure to high temperatures and lack of fluids. It is the body's response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat.
Warning signs include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting and fainting. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke.
Treat this by finding a way to cool off. If a victim of heat exhaustion has heart problems or high blood pressure, or if the symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour, seek medical attention immediately.
Heat stroke
Heat stroke is the third and most dangerous type of heat emergency as it can cause death or permanent disability. It is possible for the body temperature to reach 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.
Warning signs for heat stroke vary but may include an extremely high body temperature, red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating), rapid, strong pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and unconsciousness. If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Call for immediate medical assistance, get the victim out of the sun and cool the victim rapidly with a cool shower. If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call or radio for further emergency medical instructions. Lastly, if there is vomiting, make sure the airway remains open by turning the victim on his or her side in the recovery position.
Keith Murray is a retired Florida firefighter EMT and the owner of The CPR School, a mobile training company that provides CPR, AED and First Aid training. He also sells and services Automated External Defibrillators. Murray can be reached at 1+561-762-0500. Comments on this column are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.
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