Friday, March 29, 2024

Preventing heat-related illness a matter of common sense

Posted

On a beautiful sunny day, a golfer steps out of the golf cart to hit an approach shot to the 15th hole. She suddenly feels lightheaded, and her legs are cramping a little bit.

A landscape tech mops his brow, but there’s very little sweat to mop. He licks his lips, which are dry. In fact, his whole mouth feels dry.

A police officer is directing midday traffic around a three-car accident at a major intersection. He’s been at it for about 30 minutes while the other units work the scene, but he is starting to feel sunburned and nauseous.

Unfortunately, these people are all showing signs of heat exhaustion, a condition that is easily reversible if treated quickly. If not, things can progress to the far more dangerous condition that may lead to organ damage — heat stroke.

People who spend a lot of time outdoors know the importance of exercising some common sense and preventing this condition from happening in the first place.

UP ON THE ROOF

Randy Hurtado, partner and chief operations officer of DT Roofing and Construction, recommends that his roofing crews wear thin, long-sleeved shirts and big straw hats to keep the sun off.

In an email, Hurtado mentioned the importance of water. “Hydration starts the day, prior to high heat and heavy sweating events. We recommend two waters for every Gatorade-type drink… and stay away from energy drinks (which) dehydrate you quicker,” he said.

The roofers and construction crews are also urged to take frequent breaks in the shade and to take a long lunch break between the hottest hours of 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

TO PROTECT AND SERVE

How do police officers keep cool, considering they must wear a uniform and protective gear that doesn’t breathe? Lt. Johnny Rose of the Hood County Sheriff’s Office recalls working a patrol on a summer day.

“It was so miserable directing traffic on a hot asphalt road wearing a bulletproof vest with dark uniform, and trying to keep from getting run over by a distracted driver.”

Rose said deputies are “urged to use common sense and, if they’re feeling ill, to let their supervisor and dispatch know about their symptoms.” If paramedics are on site, Rose said they will often help the deputies, too.

Law enforcement officers get creative on hot days. Their patrol cars are usually kept running with the AC blasting. Rose mentioned a trick that really helped. “I would take an oil funnel, place a plastic tube to it and Velcro the funnel to the AC vent, and then place the tube down the inside of my vest to quickly cool down.”

Rose said, “At the end of the day, people should listen to their bodies and take action. No one can read your mind when you are in trouble.”

BE PREPARED

If the air conditioner stops working, homeowners call in the HVAC experts. These technicians must brave the heat in attics or outside to get things in the home cool again. The team members at Daffan Cooling and Heating have quite a few precautions that they take to beat the heat.

Stacie Howell, with Daffan, told the Hood County News in an email recently that the field team had its safety meeting in May right before it got very hot. They thoroughly covered signs of heat illness.

“We also have measures in place to check on them,” said Howell. “Our dispatcher watches their progress on a job…. They limit their time in attics and come down … to hydrate and take a break from the heat.” Howell said that if it gets too hot, their cell phones stop working, which is a trigger for dispatch to call the homeowner to check on them.

Daffan goes the extra mile for its field crew by purchasing Liquid I.V. electrolyte drink mix packets for techs, along with pallets of water. Each van also loads up a cooler with ice every morning.

PRE-HYDRATE

However mild the exertion will be, drink the water even if you aren’t thirsty. While outside, keep drinking even if the water is warm. It’s still going to hydrate your body.

One of the signs of dehydration is fuzzy thinking, so if you are reminded (nagged) by a companion to drink, listen to them. They might be seeing something you don’t.

Remember the people described at the beginning of this article? If you are cramping like the golfer, don’t produce sweat like the landscape tech or feel nauseous like the traffic officer, you may have progressed to heat prostration or heat stroke and need emergency care. If symptoms do not improve after a period of cooldown, call 911.

SIDEBAR

Urgent care for the heat

Since April 1, Texas EMS has responded to several heat exhaustion and dehydration calls. The primary causes for these calls were, according to Ricky Reeves, executive director of Texas EMS, “working or walking outside in 100-degree-plus temps, consuming alcohol and little water while doing outdoor activities, firefighter training, no A/C at home, welding outdoors and construction activities.” The age range was 16 to 89 years.

If you think you are suffering from heat exhaustion, Reeves said, “Stop what you are doing and rest…. Apply ice packs or towels soaked in cold water to your body. Placing these on your forehead, your wrists, the back of your neck, or under your arms can be particularly effective.

“With treatment, full recovery typically occurs within a couple hours. If your symptoms worsen or don’t improve, or your temperature continues to climb, seek medical help immediately.”

SIDEBAR

What are electrolytes?

“Smart” water products and sports drinks claim to have the right balance of electrolytes to rehydrate the body. They are very helpful in a bad situation. But what are electrolytes and how do they work in the human body?

According to the Cleveland Clinic website, electrolytes are chemical nutrients with a natural electrical charge, either positive or negative, when dissolved in water. They work to transport chemicals that regulate various bodily functions such as the balance of water inside and outside a cell, how a muscle contracts and the metabolism of nutrients in cells.

Sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphate are all electrolytes. The imbalance of these can lead to a variety of conditions, especially in the case of hyperthermia, or heat stress.

Electrolyte replacement drinks (sold in liquid and powder form) can be taken by mouth to restore the balance more quickly.