1. ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES
Unit 4

2. Bites and Stings
Although many bites are minor, some may break the skin.
Wound can bleed and become infected from germs
Animals may carry rabies

3. Action Make sure scene is safe.Get first aid kit. Wear PPE
For animal bites, phone or send someone to phone 911
Clean the wound with soap and water
Stop any bleeding with pressure and dressing
For all bites that break the skin, call healthcare provider
If there is bruise or swelling, apply ice for up to 20 minutes.

4. Snakebites It is helpful if you can identify the kind of snake
Signs of poisonous snakebites
Pain in the bite area that keeps getting worse
Swelling of the bite area
Nausea, vomiting, sweating and weakness

5. Actions Make sure scene is safe.Get first aid kit. Wear PPE
Clear the area and call 911 or have someone call 911
Have victim stay calm
Remove any tight clothing and jewelry
Gently wash bite with soap and water if available.

6. Insect, Bee, and Spider Bites and Stings
Usually insect and spider bites and stings cause only mild pain, itching, and swelling at the bite
Some insect bites can be serious or fatal if:
The person has severe allergic reaction to bite or sting
Poison (Venom) is injected into the person
Black widow spider or brown recluse spider

7. Poisonous Spiders

8. Actions Make sure scene is safe. Get first aid kit. Wear PPE
Phone or have someone call 911 if:
The person has signs of severe allergic reaction
Person tells you that she has allergic reaction to insect bites or stings
Get EpiPen
If a bee stung the person:
Look for the stinger. Bees are only insects that may leave stingers behind
Scrape away stinger and venom sac by using something with a dull edge such as a credit card
Wash bite or sting area with soap and water if available
Apply ice for up to 20 minutes
Watch person for at least 30 minutes for signs of allergic reaction

9. Bee Stinger and Venom Sac

10. Signs of Poisonous Spider bite
Severe pain at the site of bite
Muscle cramps
Headache
Fever
Vomiting
Breathing problems
Seizures
Lack of response

11. Ticks Ticks can be found on animals and in wooded areas
They will attach themselves to exposed body parts
Some ticks carry serious diseases

12. Actions Make sure scene is safe. Get first aid kit. Wear PPE
Grab the tick by its mouth or head as close to skin as possible with tweezers
Lift tick straight out without twisting or squeezing
Wash bite with soap and water if available
See healthcare provider ASAP

13. Heat-Related Emergencies
Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke
Most heat related emergencies are caused by vigorous exercise
Heat cramps are painful muscle spasms most often in calves, arms, stomach muscles, and back.

14. Actions Make sure scene is safe. Get first aid kit. Wear PPE.
Have person with heat cramps rest and cool off
Have person drink something that contains sugar and electrolytes, such as juice or a sports drink, or water if others aren’t available
Once heat cramp symptoms stop, person can return to exercise
Ice, and massaging painful muscles may help

15. Heat Exhaustion Serious condition that often turns into heat stroke
Signs of heat exhaustion include: sweating, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, muscle cramps, feeling faint and fatigue

16. Actions Make sure scene is safe. Get first aid kit. Wear PPE.
Phone or ask someone to call 911
Have person lie down in cool place
Remove as much of persons clothing as possible
Cool person with cool water spray, or damp cloths on neck, armpit, and groin
Have person drink something that contains sugar, and electrolytes or water if others are avail.

17. Heat Stroke
Serious condition that looks similar to heat exhaustion but it is life threatening
you need to act quickly
Begin cooling person immediately. Every minute counts.
Key signs of heat stroke:
Confusion
Passing out
Dizziness
seizures

18. Actions Make sure scene is safe. Get first aid kit. Wear PPE.
Phone or have someone call 911
Put person in cool water up to her neck if possible if not cool water spray or cloths.
See if person needs CPR.

19. Cold-Related Emergencies
Frostbite
Affects parts of the body that are exposed to cold or when handling cold materials such as gases under pressure
Hypothermia
When body temperature falls. Serious condition that can cause death.
Shivering protects body by producing heat. Shiver stops when body becomes too cold.

20. Frostbite Signs ACTIONS White waxy or grayish-yellow skin
Area is cold and numb
Area is hard, skin doesn’t move when you push it
ACTIONS
Move person to warm place
Call or have someone call 911
Remove tight clothing and jewelry from frostbitten part
Remove wet clothing and pat the body dry. Put dry clothes on person and cover with blanket

21. Hypothermia Signs As body temp. continues to drop:
Skin is cool to the touch
Confusion or drowsiness
Personality change/person may be unconcerned about condition
Muscles become stiff and rigid, skin becomes ice cold and blue
As body temp. continues to drop:
Person stops responding
Persons breathing slows
May be hard to tell if person is breathing
Person may appear to be dead

22. Actions for Hypothermia
Get person out of cold
Remove wet clothing and pat body dry. Put dry clothes on the person and cover with blanket
Call or have someone call 911
See if the person needs CPR

23. Poison
Poison is anything someone swallows, breathes, or gets in the eyes or on the skin that causes sickness or death.
Most important step is to make sure scene is safe before giving first aid.

24. Actions Make sure scene is safe.Get first aid kit. Wear PPE
Help the person take off contaminated clothing and jewelry
Quickly help the person to a safety shower or eyewash station if he responds and can move.
Brush off any dry powder or solid substances from the skin with your gloved hand.
Rinse the contaminated area with a lot of water for at least 20 minutes or until someone with more training can take over
If only one eye is affected make sure the eye with the poison in it, is the lower eye you rinse.