How to prepare for prevention from heat stroke

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How to prepare for prevention from heat stroke?

Take Care of Yourself & Others During this Summer in 2019

*Risk factors for heat-related illnesses include strenuous exercise (such as that done by outdoor athletes), lack of acclimatization, poor physical fitness, obesity, and dehydration.

Look out for symptoms of heat-induced illness.

Keep a close eye on all members of your family and others close to you. Be vigilant and explain to them the importance of taking steps to minimize the effects of heat during a heat wave. One indicator of illness is heat cramps, which are painful spasms in the muscles of the arms, legs, and abdomen. This is most common in people who are dehydrated, sweat a lot, or are not acclimatized to the heat. People who are exercising in heat may also experience heat cramps.

Recognize the symptoms of heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is a serious condition and should be treated as soon as possible. There are a number of symptoms to look out for:

Cool, clammy skin with “goose bumps”
Heavy sweating
Fatigue
Light-headedness or dizziness
Problems with physical coordination
Muscle cramps
Headache
Nausea

Take steps to treat heat exhaustion. Take the person to a cool, shaded place, preferably indoors in air-conditioning. Give the person cool water or a sports drink to drink. Remove excess clothing. If possible, have the person take a cool shower or apply cool towels to the skin to help cool off.

The person should start to feel better in about half an hour and experience no long-term effects.
Without this treatment the person could develop heatstroke, which is much more serious.
If the person shows no signs of improvement after 30 minutes, contact the doctor or emergency services, as the heat exhaustion may be progressing to heatstroke.

Identify and respond to heatstroke.

Heatstroke occurs when body temperature becomes dangerously high and, no longer able to cool itself, the body begins to overheat. It is a much more serious condition than heat exhaustion, so it’s important to know the signs and know what to do. Call emergency services if you see the following signs, or if a person has been suffering from heat exhaustion for more than 30 minutes:

High fever (104F/40C)
Severe headache
Light-headedness or dizziness
Disorientation or confusion
Irrational behavior
Irritability or emotional instability
Nausea or vomiting
Muscle weakness and cramps
Flushed or red skin
Lack of sweating, dry skin
Rapid heartbeat
Rapid, shallow breathing
Seizures

Important:

Take action while you wait or looking for medical assistance. If a person near you has symptoms of heatstroke, the first thing you should do is call emergency services. While you wait for the ambulance (Aman Ambulance1021), you can take the following steps:

Move the person to a cool, shaded area
Remove unnecessary clothing
Increasing ventilation by using a fan or opening windows
Giving the person water to drink, but not medication
Shower or immerse their body with cool, but not cold, water that is 59-64°F (15-18°C)
Cover the body with cool, damp sheets or towels.
Apply ice packs to the groin, armpits, neck, and back

Tips:

Don’t undertake difficult, hot travel or movement during the daytime. If you must travel, the best time is by night, when it is much cooler.
Keeping a hand fan with you, especially if you go outside, is a good idea. It can be a lifesaver in a hot bus!
Look at your urine to tell if you’re dehydrated. Normal urine should be clear colored, or light yellow. If the colour is any darker, you may be dehydrated. If so, you need to drink more water.
Make sure that you have plenty of water to drink.
Try freezing a bottle of water overnight. The water will freeze into ice and melt throughout the day, so the water will stay cold all day.
Always pay close attention to those who are at higher risk for heat-related illnesses.
During a heat wave, drink 1 liter (0.3 US gal) of water every 2 hours.
Wear light colored breathable cotton clothing to help keep your body cooler.
Locate a pool or cooling Centre in your area if you live in or near a larger city.

Warnings:

Heat waves have been known to start wild-fires and bush-fires across drought-infested areas
(Dadu, Thar, Areas of Baluchistan, Punjab). Be careful when travelling or living in these areas.
Listen to the news, especially news about the heat wave, for any laws passed to combat a drought.
Heat waves and “heat storms” (a prolonged and severe heat wave) are to be taken seriously. Use common sense.