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Feeling hot? Looking at heat related illness

The basics of heat related illness.

While on expedition or even in the park on a Sunday afternoon playing with the kids. Heat related illness is a risk that shouldn’t be under estimated. You’ll note that it is call heat related not Sun related. It is often the ambient temperature that is the cause. If the ambient temperature is similar to or above the body’s temperature, then the body may have trouble cooling itself. High humidity may prevent sweat from evaporating, one of the main processes for cooling.


Mild heart related illness often goes undetected and people with headaches after a day running around in the sun; are told to go and sleep it off. Being told “You must be tired!”

Like most things prevention is better than cure. But acting soon is paramount if you suspect a heat related illness. 

Prevention:

-Wide brim hat, keeps the direct sun off the top of the head and neck and shoulders.

-Cover skin,

-Breaks in shade, Give the body a chance to catch up. (The temperature difference in the shade can be as much as 10 degrees.)

-Water little and often. Sip water they will be losing water at a high rate even in humid conditions.


But if your advice goes unheeded you need to be able to recognise the symptoms and treat accordingly. Below is a basic aid to help you recognise what could be going on. But remember to get them to a cooler place and seek medical advice.


Heat exhaustion:

loss of salts and water from body it develops gradually, from being in the sun or a hot place for extended periods.


Signs & Symptoms;                         Treatment;

-Dizziness                                       -Remove the person to a cool place

-Pale and Sweating                     -Replace lost fluids and salt                           

-Headache                                    -Raise and support legs

-Cramps                                        -Rest


Heatstroke

Failure of the bodies thermostat to regulate the bodies temperature.

Body heats up rapidly


Signs & Symptoms;                           Treatment;

-Dizzy                                                 -Remove to cool place

-Headache                                      -Remove outer clothing

-Body temp 38°c+                         -fan and mist

-skin, hot, flushed & Dry                -Medical advice is required

Sunburn;

Skin burns due to prolonged exposure to sun


Signs & Symptoms;                                               Treatment;

-Redness of skin                                            -Shade

-Blister and peeling (later stages             -Cool area (water or after sun NO oily substances)

-Cool drink (little and often)


Be aware sunburn may lead to heatstroke or heat exhaustion 


Want to learn more? What about the cold?
by David Coyle 12 Nov, 2024
Online appointed person for first aid micro learn.
11 Nov, 2024
Our MD, Dave Coyle, has won Instructor of the Year 2024 for First Aid Training in Suffolk and nationwide. We are so pleased to talk about this, at the annual ProTrainings (our Awarding authority) conference in Colchester last month, Dave won this award and this is what they had to say: “We are pleased to recognise Dave Coyle of DAC Education with the Instructor of the Year Award for his outstanding contributions to training, especially in high-risk and outdoor environments. Dave has shown unwavering commitment to quality, delivering extensive training over the years and consistently maintaining compliance and excellence in every course he’s conducted.” Of course, if you have been on one of our first aid courses and your instructor was Dave you will know that he challenges the stigma of a first aid course being boring, his enthusiasm, knowledge and personal experience brings elements to his first aid training that you just can’t find elsewhere. His unique training style includes imparting his personal knowledge built up over years of leading worldwide expeditions, Search and Rescue Manager, supervising Duke of Edinburgh and being a Community First Responder (CFR). No stranger to awards, Dave has already been awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and the King’s Coronation Medal through his work with Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue (SULSAR). This award, though, shines a light specifically on his skill at instructing first aid to those working outdoors and in high risk environments. I managed to catch Dave in between training courses this week and he says: “This award was completely unexpected but it’s very humbling to be recognised for the first aid training that we do and know that it is to an excellent standard. What's important to me is that people leave our courses with the knowledge and the confidence to be that person who steps up and gets involved. If someone needs immediate attention there's not an ambulance parked around the corner, so you have to be able to do something quickly.” While offering first aid training nationwide, in Suffolk alone, Dave has trained many people in a variety of high risk environments including Equestrians, Ecologists, Schools including Duke of Edinburgh and school global expeditions, Construction and Farmers. These occupations are often working in remote locations, far from help and can be faced with dangerous situations and this is where DAC specialises. Somany congratulations and well deserved and I’ll leave you with some final words from Dave: “I say it on all my courses, what I'm going to teach you is how to keep the wind going in and out, stop them from leaking and get help. It’s as simple as that. I don’t sit people through a boring powerpoint, that's not how these practical skills are learnt, I get people involved. I teach my outdoor course outside in the woods and I use actors in the more advanced courses to recreate patients and situations, that's how people learn and build their confidence. ”
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