Although the weather here in Hiawatha, Iowa seems to be hailing the autumn air, there are still some hot days left for some of us. Here are some tips on staying safe and beating the heat!
- Drink plenty of cool water to stay hydrated and reduce your body’s core temperature
- Eat small, light, non-spicy meals
- If you’re going outside, wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothes
- Make sure you have access to a place with air conditioning
- If you don’t have access to air conditioning, stand-alone AC units aren’t that expensive
- Reduce the amount of sunlight entering your house
- Make sure your house has proper ventilation and insulation
Since we’re talking about overheating, here are the symptoms of sunstroke and heat exhaustion:
Heat Exhaustion: Symptoms include heavy sweating, weak pulse, fainting, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. The skin may also be cool, pale, or flushed.
Sun Stroke/Heat Stroke: Symptoms are high body temperature, hot, dry, red, skin (usually with no sweating), rapid shallow breathing, and a weak pulse. Sun stroke is the more dangerous of the two.
If either of these happen, the most immediate first aid need is to get the victim into a cool spot, and reduce their body temperature with ice-cold wet towels around the neck, wrist, and ankles. A tub of cool water is also effective, however don’t use cold water as it will be too much of a shock to the system.
With ResQr First Aid & CPR Coach on your iPhone or iPod Touch you have the ability to be walked through similar heat exhaustion situations via yes/no questions in real time.