1. Environmental Emergencies

2. Environmental Emergencies
Heat Related Injuries
Cold Related Injuries
Bites and Stings (Insects, Animals, etc)
Poisonous Plants
Weather Related

3. Heat Related Illness Who’s at risk? Work Outside Exercise Outdoors
Elderly
Young
People with prior health issues

4. Heat Related Illness Heat Cramps Least Severe
First sign that the body is heat stressed
Painful muscle spasms

5. Heat Related Illness Heat Cramps
Move the person to a cool place (shaded)
Give them an electrolyte and carb fluid.
Lightly stretch the muscle that is cramping
DO NOT GIVE SALT TABLETS
When the cramps stop – they can continue activity

6. Heat Related Illness Heat Exhaustion
More severe condition – often affects athletes, firefighters, construction workers and factory workers
Cool, Moist, Pale Skin
Headache
Nausea
Dizziness
Weakness / Exhaustion

7. Heat Related Illness Heat Exhaustion Early Recognition
Be aware of the environment – Is it hot out today?
Move to a cooler area
Remove or loosen clothing and apply cool clothes (towels) to the axillaries
Spray a misting water (cool) or fanning

8. Heat Related Illness Heat Exhaustion
IF CONSCIOUS – you can give small amounts of fluid (4 oz or less) at a time
If they refuse water or don’t improve, CALL 911
Place patient in recovery position and monitor ABC’s

9. Heat Related Illness Heat Stroke Least common – most serious
Usually occurs due to ignoring signs and symptoms of Heat Exhaustion
Extreme high body temp
Red skin (dry or moist)
Changes in LOC
Rapid / Weak Pulse
Shallow Breathing

10. Heat Related Illness IMMEDIATELY Heat Stroke Rapid cooling – immersion
Cover with bags of ice
Rapid Cooling for no more than 20 minutes – Protect the skin (ice)

11. Cold Related Illness Frostbite
Freezing of body parts exposed to cold temps
Can result in loss of limbs
Look for loss of feeling in affected area
Swelling
Skin appears waxy

12. Cold Related Illness Frostbite Cold to the touch Discolored Blisters
Black Skin with signs of deep tissue damage

13. Cold Related Illness Frostbite
More serious cases (blisters, tissue damage, loss of feeling that can’t be restored, call 911
Remove wet clothing
NEVER RUB AREA – TISSUE DAMAGE

14. Cold Related Illness Frostbite Gentle soak in warm water (105 or less)
If fingers or toes are involved, place cotton or gauze between them to keep them from rubbing together
Watch for shock conditions

15. Cold Related Illness Hypothermia
Entire body cools because it can’t keep warm
Will lead to death if not corrected
TEMPERATURE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE BELOW FREEZING
Elderly and children are more susceptible.

16. Cold Related Illness Hypothermia – Some Causes Intoxication
Circulatory Medical Conditions
Prolonged exposure

17. Cold Related Illness Hypothermia – What to look for Shivering
Numbness – Whole body
Glassy stare (shock)
Indifference
LOC
Shivering that stops without re-warming is DANGER SIGN

18. Cold Related Illness Hypothermia – What to do Move to warm place
Remove wet clothing
Put on dry clothing
Use your body heat to help re-warm if nothing else available
Wrap in blankets, plastic sheet
Cover the top of the head

19. Cold Related Illness Hypothermia – What to do
Be careful when using heat packs, warm water etc. on skin – don’t burn the skin – Use a barrier
If conscious – give warm liquids, DO NOT GIVE ALCOHOL OR CAFFEINE

20. Cold Related Illness Hypothermia – What to do
Unconscious – Recovery position and monitor the ABC’s

21. Heat / Cold Prevention
Stay indoors (or in climate controlled area during hottest and coldest parts of the day
Alter activity level depending on temp
Dress appropriately
Drink large amounts of fluid

22. Bites & Stings

23. Bites & Stings Most bites and stings aren’t serious Flies Bees Ticks
Fleas
Etc.

24. Bites & Stings Insect Stings What to look for: Presence of a stinger
Pain
Swelling
Signals of an allergic reaction

25. Bites & Stings Insect Stings What to do:
Remove the stinger if possible – wear gloves
Wash the site with soap and water
Cover the site and keep clean
Apply cold pack to area
Call 911 for breathing problems

26. Bites & Stings Tick-Borne Diseases Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Babesia Infection
Ehrlichiosis
Lyme Disease

27. Bites & Stings Tick-Borne Diseases Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Bacterial infection – mostly in spring and summer and mostly in children

28. Bites & Stings Tick-Borne Diseases Rocky Mountain spotted fever Fever
Nausea
Muscle aches or pain
Loss of appetite
Severe headaches
Rash (Later)

29. Bites & Stings Lyme Diseases Most prevalent on east coast
Spread by Deer Tick and Black-Legged Tick
Usually must remain attached for 36 hours to transmit the disease

30. Bites & Stings Lyme Diseases What to look for:
Small Rash at the site of the bite
Center lighter with redder outer edge
Fever
Headache
Joint / Muscle Pain

31. Bites & Stings Lyme Diseases
Seek medical help if the rash begins to spread away from the site

32. Bites & Stings
Removing a Tick

33. Bites & Stings Mosquito-Borne Illness West Nile Virus
Passed by mosquito bites
Eliminate standing bodies of water
Keep stagnant water from accumulating around the house
Signs and Symptoms usually develop within 3-14 days.

34. Bites & Stings Mosquito-Borne Illness High Fever Headache
Neck Stiffness
Confusion
Coma
Convulsions
Vision Loss
Numbness / Paralysis

35. Bites & Stings
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings

36. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Few spiders in U.S. cause major problems
Black Widow & Brown Recluse can be fatal

37. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings Black Widow
Black with a reddish hourglass shape on the underside of it’s body
Prefers dark, out-of-the-way places
Usually bitten when reaching into these places

38. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings Brown Recluse
Violin shape on the back portion of the front segment

39. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings Scorpion
Dry regions – Western / SW U.S.
Live under rocks and in the bark of trees
Hard to distinguish poisonous from non poisonous so suspect them ALL

40. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Spider Bite – What to look for
Usually don’t know that you have been bitten unless you see it happen
Black Widow Bites:
Rigid muscles in shoulders, chest, back and abs
Anxiety / Dizziness / Headache

41. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings Black Widow (con’t)
Excessive sweating
Weakness
Drooping Eyelids
Swelling at the site of the bite and expanding

42. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings Brown Recluse
Little pain when bitten
Blood-filled blister forms at the site and looks like a bulls-eye
Gets bigger and eventually ruptures, leading to tissue damage and black scabs

43. Bites & Stings Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings Call 911 if…
You witness the bite and know it’s a brown recluse or black widow
While you wait…
Wash the wound with water
DO NOT TRY TO SUCK THE POISON OUT
Bandage the wound to prevent infection

44. Bites & Stings Venomous Snake Bites
7000 snake bites each year – around 5 or so are fatal
Rattlesnakes account for most bites and the most deaths in the U.S.
Most deaths are due to allergic reaction

45. Bites & Stings
Venomous Snake Bites

46. Bites & Stings
Venomous Snake Bites

47. Bites & Stings
Venomous Snake Bites

48. Bites & Stings Venomous Snake Bites
Call 911 immediately, especially if you don’t know what type of snake bit the victim
Wash the wound
Apply an elastic bandage to slow the venom spread
DO NOT SUCK THE POISON

49. Bites & Stings Venomous Snake Bites DO NOT APPLY ICE
DO NOT CUT THE WOUND OPEN
DO NOT APPLY A TOURNIQUET
DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC SHOCK

50. Bites & Stings Animal Bites
Dog bites are common and can be dangerous – infection and bleeding
Don’t get bitten by lions, tigers, bears…that would generally suck as well.
What do you do?

51. Bites & Stings Animal Bites Control bleeding FIRST
Do not clean serious wounds – get medical help
If minor bleeding, wash with soap and warm water
Apply antibiotic ointment
Watch for infection

52. Bites & Stings Marine Life Stings Stingray Jellyfish
Portuguese Man O’ War

53. Bites & Stings Marine Life Stings Jellyfish stings are the most common
Very painful and dangerous if a person has an allergic reaction to the venom

54. Bites & Stings Marine Life Stings What to do…
Get someone to help remove the person from the water – Lifeguard
DO NOT TOUCH THE AFFECTED AREA – YOU MIGHT GET STUNG AS WELL
Irrigate with large amounts of vinegar

55. Bites & Stings Marine Life Stings What to do…
If the sting is from a Portuguese man-of-war, use ocean water to irrigate rather than vinegar
DON’T RUB THE WOUND
Once the sting has stopped, have the person take a hot shower for at least 20 minutes

56. Poisonous Plants Poison Ivy Causes an allergic reaction
Remove the contaminated clothing
Wash the area with soap and water
Wash the affected clothing
Put a baking-soda paste on the area several times per day
Go to doctor if rash lasts more than a few days

57. Lightening Causes more death in the U.S. than any other weather hazard
Kills nearly 100 people each year and injures nearly 300 more.
Travels at speeds up to 300 miles / second
50 million volts of electricity

58. Lightening Best treatment is prevention
Pick campsites that meet safety precautions
Pay attention to forecasts
Plan turn-around time – how long would it take to get to safety if caught in a storm

59. Lightening Find quick shelter
Cars are best, but get in one that has a top and windows rolled up 
Use the 30/30 rule. Lightening visible, count 1,2,3…if you hear thunder before 30, the lightening is within 6 miles and a SERIOUS THREAT

60. Lightening
If you are caught in the storm, take a safe position

61. Lightening If you are caught in the storm…
Take off metal and toss away from your person
Do not lie down, try to make as little contact with the ground as possible
Space yourself away from others

62. Lightening Injuries… Unconsciousness Dazed, Confused behavior
Trouble breathing
No breathing
Burn marks on skin, or other open wounds
Muscle, Bone, Joint injuries such as fractures / dislocations

63. Lightening

64. I have ADD…I don’t remember what was on the second slide
Questions?
I have ADD…I don’t remember what was on the second slide