Overview

• How the body regulates itself thermally
• Predisposing conditions and layering
• Physical activity to produce heat
• Hydration & electrolyte balance

Heat or cold emergencies can be predictable, and therefore, preventable

Injured individuals have restricted movement and will cool quickly.

Burrito

Heat Loss

• Conduction
• Evaporation
• Convection
• Radiation
• How do we mitigate each?

Hypothermia

• Drop in core temp
• Immersion or gradual decline due to degrading conditions (poor clothing)
• Initial - loss of coordination, mild shivering, mumbling
• Shivering hypothermia - uncontrolled, energy reserves used up shivering lessens
• Non-shivering hypothermia - core temp drop to dangerous levels, vitals show marked decrease, skin bluish, respirations difficult to detect.

Treatment

• Cold stress - change clothing, active, food, return to camp, shelter.
• Shivering Hypothermia - keep them shivering, warm, avoid exercise with true hypothermia
• Non-shivering - gentle handling, CPR, mediate heat loss, EVAC

Frostbite

• Frozen tissue
• Wind chill, tight clothing, wet clothing, poor nutrition or/& hydration, injuries
• Superficial - white patches
• Partial thickness freeze - finger tips, ear lobs, toes, avoid refreezing.
• Deep freeze - don’t rewarm in field, Evac in frozen state, treat like a burn.

Heat Injuries Overview

• Heat exhaustion - related to dehydration
• Signs & symptoms akin to hypovolemic shock
• Heat stroke - hyperthermia
• Signs & symptoms similar to brain injury

Heat Exhaustion

• High intensity activity for hours
• Urine - reduced, very dark and strong smelling
• Signs - see shock
• Treatment - clothing, activity management, water, electrolytes, cool body

Heat Stroke

• Hot and humid are ideal
• Brain injury caused by overheating of brain and core.
• Signs - see Brain injury
• Cool first and transport

1910 suggestion
Scenario around high intensity, overdressed, sparse re-hydration.
Signs - skin hot to touch, altered LOC, patient may seize.