environmental emergencies. heat related injuries cold related injuries bites and stings (insects,...
TRANSCRIPT
Environmental Emergencies
• Heat Related Injuries• Cold Related Injuries• Bites and Stings (Insects, Animals, etc)• Poisonous Plants• Weather Related
Environmental Emergencies
• Who’s at risk?• Work Outside• Exercise Outdoors• Elderly• Young• People with prior health issues
Heat Related Illness
Heat Related IllnessHeat Cramps
• Least Severe• First sign that the body is heat stressed• Painful muscle spasms
Heat Related IllnessHeat 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
Heat Related IllnessHeat Exhaustion
• More severe condition – often affects athletes, firefighters, construction workers and factory workers• Cool, Moist, Pale Skin• Headache• Nausea• Dizziness• Weakness / Exhaustion
Heat Related IllnessHeat 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
Heat Related IllnessHeat 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
Heat Related IllnessHeat 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
Heat Related IllnessHeat Stroke
IMMEDIATELY• Rapid cooling – immersion• Cover with bags of ice• Rapid Cooling for no more than 20 minutes – Protect the skin (ice)
Cold Related IllnessFrostbite• 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
Cold Related IllnessFrostbite• Cold to the touch• Discolored• Blisters• Black Skin with signs of deep tissue damage
Cold Related IllnessFrostbite• More serious cases (blisters, tissue damage, loss of feeling that can’t be restored, call 911
• Remove wet clothing• NEVER RUB AREA – TISSUE DAMAGE
Cold Related IllnessFrostbite• 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
Cold Related IllnessHypothermia• 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.
Cold Related IllnessHypothermia – Some Causes• Intoxication• Circulatory Medical Conditions• Prolonged exposure
Cold Related IllnessHypothermia – What to look for• Shivering• Numbness – Whole body• Glassy stare (shock)• Indifference• LOC
• Shivering that stops without re-warming is DANGER SIGN
Cold Related IllnessHypothermia – 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
Cold Related IllnessHypothermia – 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
Cold Related IllnessHypothermia – What to do• Unconscious – Recovery position and monitor the ABC’s
Heat / Cold Prevention
1. Stay indoors (or in climate controlled area during hottest and coldest parts of the day
2. Alter activity level depending on temp3. Dress appropriately4. Drink large amounts of fluid
Bites & Stings
Bites & Stings
Most bites and stings aren’t serious
• Flies• Bees• Ticks• Fleas• Etc.
Bites & StingsInsect Stings
What to look for: Presence of a stinger Pain Swelling Signals of an allergic reaction
Bites & StingsInsect 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
Bites & StingsTick-Borne Diseases
Rocky Mountain spotted fever Babesia Infection Ehrlichiosis Lyme Disease
Bites & StingsTick-Borne Diseases
Rocky Mountain spotted fever Bacterial infection – mostly in spring
and summer and mostly in children
Bites & StingsTick-Borne Diseases
Rocky Mountain spotted fever Fever Nausea Muscle aches or pain Loss of appetite Severe headaches Rash (Later)
Bites & StingsLyme 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
Bites & StingsLyme Diseases
What to look for: Small Rash at the site of the bite Center lighter with redder outer
edge Fever Headache Joint / Muscle Pain
Bites & StingsLyme Diseases
Seek medical help if the rash begins to spread away from the site
Bites & StingsRemoving a Tick
Bites & StingsMosquito-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.
Bites & StingsMosquito-Borne Illness High Fever Headache Neck Stiffness Confusion Coma Convulsions Vision Loss Numbness / Paralysis
Bites & StingsSpider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & Stings
Few spiders in U.S. cause major problems
Black Widow & Brown Recluse can be fatal
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & 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
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & Stings
Brown Recluse Violin shape on the back portion of
the front segment
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & 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
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & 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
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & Stings
Black Widow (con’t) Excessive sweating Weakness Drooping Eyelids Swelling at the site of the bite and
expanding
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & 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
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & 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
Spider Bites & Scorpion Stings
Bites & Stings
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
Venomous Snake Bites
Bites & StingsVenomous Snake Bites
Bites & StingsVenomous Snake Bites
Bites & StingsVenomous Snake Bites
Bites & Stings
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
Venomous Snake Bites
Bites & Stings
DO NOT APPLY ICE DO NOT CUT THE WOUND OPEN DO NOT APPLY A TOURNIQUET DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC SHOCK
Venomous Snake Bites
Bites & Stings
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?
Animal Bites
Bites & Stings
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
Animal Bites
Bites & Stings
Stingray Jellyfish Portuguese Man O’ War
Marine Life Stings
Bites & Stings
Jellyfish stings are the most common Very painful and dangerous if a person
has an allergic reaction to the venom
Marine Life Stings
Bites & 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
Marine Life Stings
Bites & 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
Marine Life Stings
Poisonous Plants
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
Poison Ivy
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
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
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
Lightening If you are caught in the storm, take a
safe position
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
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
Lightening
Questions?
I have ADD…I don’t remember what was on the second slide
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