Armed Lifestyle - Issue 2 - June 2022

More documents

Info

42 HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES Hot Blooded Heat Related Emergencies - By Dan Tonto, EMT-P It’s May in the great State of Florida where I live and Summer is upon us. In other parts of the country, it’s still Spring, but that just means that Summer is just around the corner. Spring and Summer means spending more time outdoors, grilling out, going to the range, the park, the beach and a slew of other outdoor and indoor related activities that can put us at risk for a situation where our bodies can overheat. I’m a product of Rock and Roll bands of the 70’s and 80’s and one that instantly came to mind when I was asked to write about heat related emergencies was Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded.” The first line of the song talks about a fever of “a hundred and three.” Heat related emergencies; especially Heat Stroke will involve patient having a core temperature of at least one-hundred and three degrees, so the boys in Foreigner were definitely onto something. All kidding aside, heat related emergencies are no joke and can be not only very scary, but also life-threatening. I also want to make one point abundantly clear: A person need not be outside to suffer from a heat related emergency. Someone who is in a poorly ventilated building that is very warm can also suffer from a heat related emergency. When I teach the USCCA’s Emergency First Aid Fundamentals curriculum; this topic is one of my favorites to cover because summertime, especially here in Florida means extreme heat and humidity and heat related emergencies are common. DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES What is a heat related emergency and how do we classify the different types of heat related emergencies? Heat related emergencies as the name suggests have to do with an individual becoming exposed to an excessive amount of heat whereby the excessive heat causes varying degrees of hyperthermia (fancy name for increased body temperature above normal). Hyperthermia can be broken down into four main stages: Heat Cramps, Heat Syncope (pronounced siNGkəpē), Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke, with the latter being a severe medical emergency that can lead to death quickly. The following chart from the National Weather Service/NOAA is a great tool to use to see that with the right “ingredients”, temperature plus humidity plus prolonged exposure and/or exertion can lead to a heat related emergency even when the temperature, humidity or activity does not seem too extreme.
HEAT CRAMPS Heat Cramps are cramps or muscle spasms caused by the loss of water (profuse sweating) and the subsequent loss of sodium (salt) usually occurring as a result of strenuous physical activity. Along with dehydration and sodium loss, muscle fatigue is a main contributing factor to heat cramps. TREATMENT OF HEAT CRAMPS Get the patient into a cool, well-ventilated area away from the heat source. A moistened towel can provide comfort and help the body cool down faster along with a fan if available. If the patient is not nauseas or vomiting, they can drink water or a sports drink that has carbohydrates and electrolytes. If the patient suffers from a medical condition like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc. they should be evaluated at a medical facility. HEAT SYNCOPE Heat Syncope is when a person faints as a result of prolonged standing or sudden rising from a sitting or lying position. Think about the person standing on a long line outside on a hot day. Factors that contribute to heat syncope are dehydration and not being acclimated to their surroundings. TREATMENT OF HEAT SYNCOPE Get the patient into a cool, well-ventilated area if possible. You should have them lie down on their back which is called the Supine position. Allow them to drink small quantities of water or a sports drink and monitor them. If they do not improve, they might be suffering from Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke and may need additional medical treatment and evaluation. Again, if the patient suffers from a medical condition as outlined under Heat Cramps, they should be evaluated at a medical facility even if they are feeling better. HEAT EXHAUSTION The next and more serious stage of hyperthermia is Heat Exhaustion. Heat Exhaustion occurs when the body works to move excessive water due to strenuous exertion or just being in an extreme environment. With Heat Exhaustion, the patient has lost a lot of water and sodium. In order for the body to rid itself of the excessive heat, the vessels become dilated and blood moves away from the major organs which can lead to shock. In addition to excessive sweating, the patient may also complain of a headache, dizziness, thirst, nausea, vomiting, decreased urine output, severe muscle aches/spasms, tachycardia (increased heart rate), tachypnea (rapid breathing) and be very irritable. TREATMENT OF HEAT EXHAUSTION Call 911 to get EMS on scene. Get the patient into a cool, wellventilated area. The patient’s body temperature is abnormally high. Remove excess clothing and place patient in the supine position. Apply a cool compress to the head, neck and face. You can also spray the patient with a cool water mist from a spray bottle. If the patient is conscious and NOT disoriented you can give sips of water or a sports drink. Monitor until EMS arrives. This patient will need I.V. fluid replacement therapy as well as other possible interventions like oxygen, cardiac and blood pressure monitoring and a blood draw to evaluate electrolytes. HEAT STROKE The most serious stage of hyperthermia is Heat Stroke. If left untreated, it can lead to death very quickly. This is a true emergency and time is of the essence. Heat Stroke occurs when the body is no longer able to regulate its core temperature causing sweating to stop. As a result, the temperature continues to rise and the patient is literally cooking on the inside. Heat Stroke is often fatal and needs immediate medical attention. The patient suffering from Heat Stroke will have a core temperature greater than 103 degrees, may have a throbbing headache, experience seizures have nausea and vomiting, have an altered mental status or be totally unconscious. TREATMENT OF HEAT STROKE Immediately remove the patient from the heated environment, call 911 to get EMS on scene and rapid cooling needs to take place. Rapid cooling can be achieved by placing the patient in ice water (full body immersion). This is not always feasible due to the lack of ice or if the patient is conscious or semi-conscious. If not able or feasible, the next method is to cool the patient by using ice/icepacks around the groin, neck, axillae (armpits) and behind the knees along with spraying the patient with tepid water all over his/her body and fans to encourage evaporation of the patient’s body heat. Always watch for seizures and protect the patient from further injury if seizures develop. As stated above, this patient will need advanced medical care enroute to the hospital. The main goal with Heat Stroke is to identify it and rapidly cool the patient as soon as possible. To make identifying the difference, the simple chart below can help in identifying the difference between Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke. CONCLUSION Heat related emergencies require the caregiver to be able to accurately assess the situation and provide care accordingly. In order to avoid becoming a victim of a heat related emergency, it’s crucial to stay hydrated; take breaks often, be aware of your surroundings, use plenty of sun block and observe the people around you because they may not realize that they are in trouble and it may be up to you to provide emergency care for someone who has suffered from a heat related incident. For more information on first aid and saving lives check out the organizations below. https://www.usconcealedcarry.com https://www.heart.org https://www.redcross.org https://www.stopthebleed.org HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES www.thearmedlifestyle.com
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS JUNE 2022 Issue 2 WE ARE O
Page 5 and 6: to a lender, and he was going to ge
Page 7 and 8: with the concept of, ‘what is min
Page 10: 10 EDITOR’S NOTE Mission Statemen
Page 13 and 14: ights through the safe and ethical
Page 15 and 16: Proudly Celebrating 25 Years of Mad
Page 17 and 18: shotgun slug to collect more air to
Page 19 and 20: its contents onto the target area.
Page 21 and 22: PRODUCT FIELD TESTING As I wrapped
Page 23 and 24: even a new stroller for my daughter
Page 25 and 26: RIDIN’ SHOTGUN WITH CHARLIE BY CH
Page 27 and 28: One of the things that Anthony driv
Page 29 and 30: The thing with dealing with the TSA
Page 31 and 32: twelve rounds instead of six. The s
Page 34 and 35: GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK 34 GUNS
Page 36 and 37: 36 GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK KEYS
Page 38 and 39: 38 FIREARMS: HENRY REPEATING RIFLE
Page 40 and 41: 240 FIREARMS: HENRY REPEATING RIFLE
Page 45 and 46: WHAT’S NEW… THE TISAS PX9 By Ja
Page 47 and 48: located around the top of the pack.
Page 49 and 50: DULUTH PACK: WANDERER www.thearmedl
Page 51 and 52: of the Year in 1999 at the knife in
Page 53 and 54: EVERYDAY CARRY KNIFE Once the Comma
Page 55 and 56: CHOOSING THE RIGHT TRAINING CLASS F
Page 57 and 58: PUTTING THE “A” IN TR”A”INI
Page 59: I have said this in the past on num

Armed Lifestyle - Issue 2 - June 2022

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?