Preparing For The Heat

Hello...Yes, it is me...Old loud mouth again....LOL....As I am sure we have all been a bit on the warm side lately....I would like to know how you prepare for the heat and operating on calls...We have recently gone to planning ahead...Every Firefighter keeps 1 liter bottle of water in one of their boots...upon responding to a call we are to preload (drink 1 liter of water) enroute to the call...also water is strongly encouraged frequently to replace fluids....along with gatorade or another electrolyte beverage...cool is best (helps prevent throwing up)...try to limit the sports drinks to 1 liter or less as it too will make you vomit. Rehab often...primary concern is pulse rate less than 100, check O-2 saturation... should be greater than 92%...if you have the means check the CO levels...should be less than 5%... greater than that provide O-2 to blow it off....and above all (doesn't need to be said) KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PEOPLE....if they stop sweating or become disoriented they are in trouble.....Remove them from the heat source, cool them down, remove ALL their gear and get medical help...Don't use those misting devices...they will actually increase the body core temp....Hope this makes us all think about the hidden dangers that are out there...Be safe, Be smart, and lets all go home in the same shape we left in.....Always Keep the Faith...............Paul

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Permalink Reply by Rob Vest on July 14, 2010 at 11:56am

Paul,
We have a mister that we occasionally use. What I am looking for is any documentation or studies that support your statement that they don't help. When I presented the info I found in the forum replies to my Chief he wasn't sure about these statements and wants to see any studies or documentation supporting them. Can you or anyone else point me in the right direction to find this information.

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Permalink Reply by Tommy Lewis on July 14, 2010 at 12:30pm

Rob,

I don't know of any documentation on this but the thoughts are that the mister is nothing more than a fan which circulates air with some degree of a cooling effect, with a water supply connected to it. the act of standing in front of the mister causes drops of water to be propelled at the body and the combination of cooled water and air hits the skin which does cool the skin. However, it will also cause the pores to close up and thus reduce your body's natural ability to regulate core temprature because the skin thell the brain that you are could and need to retain that body heat. when in fact the opposite is true.

TCSS
Tommy

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Permalink Reply by Reg Mathis on July 14, 2010 at 12:53pm

So are there any opinions on the practice of acclimation? A couple of times a week we go out and do a mile or so in our turnout coats and packs. Will this help us to be more capable of dealing with the added heat of summer?

So does anybody subscribe to the theory of your "blood thinning" as you adjust to a hotter climate?

TCSS

Reg

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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on July 14, 2010 at 3:43pm

There was a book Co-Authored by Mike McEvoy titles "Firefighter Rehab Guide To Best Practices (IAFC)" That we tend to follow....it was rec to us by the County Emergency services director....has some good reading and makes a lot of sense.....Check it out....

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Permalink Reply by Tony P on July 14, 2010 at 8:22pm

Acclimatisation - something that can easily be overdone I think. Yes, to be out in your hot weather so that you are used to it is useful. But I wouldn't be ovedoing it, and that's how I see the act of going out in structural PPE and BA in hot weather. Do it when you have to. We have a lot of exercise freaks who think it good to keep going for their long lunch time runs on 'hot' days. Our ambulance paramedics hate them, far more collapse calls! One of my own methods of acclimatising myself on 'hot' days is to leave the AC off and drive with the windows open during summer - my body is then used to the heat.

"blood thinning"? I've always thought of that term as 'an old wives tale' when thinking of climate. To me it's more accurate when refering to drugs like Warfarin. I may be wrong of course!