Surviving the Heat

We talk a lot about survival in the wilderness and how to keep warm since hypothermia can kill you when the temperature is about 60 degrees. What about when the thermometer climbs. What precautions do you take to avoid being injured by the heat? It looks like there are quite a few heat related deaths in the United States each year.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5529a2.htm

Look at what happened in France last August. Around 15,000 dead due to the heat.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2003/0...ave030909.html

Here’s some tips from the CDC.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extr...heat_guide.asp

Fluids.

Down here in texas and louisiana I have worked a lot of manual labor jobs in the dead heat of summer. I would take 2 1gallon jugs of water I let freeze during the night. One would usually contain gatorade the other water. I also liked taking hard boiled eggs with salt, to eat, they seemed to work very well. That's it.

The only time Ive ever had any survival issue was being in attics with temps around 120+ and 100% humidity. Sweat won't evaporate. I would just hurry up do my job and get to the exit before passing out.



-JRJ

i can't imagine going hikng in death valley in the middle of summer when its 130 degrees out. some people do that too.

Until recently I was out in the Fl heat 12-14 hours a day and can't say it enough fluids , fluids and more fluids I would drink about 3 quarts of gator aid and at least a gal or 2 of water, you don't want it to cold or it can cause cramps. Wear at hat , I have friends who wear long sleevs but I never went that route but white cotton T shirts are pretty much every day. Also cool water run over your wrists, neck and back of the head seem to help cool you down along with regular breaks and looking for shade when you take them. Also if you dig a shallow ditch and lay in it, that seems to help lower the body temp if you have someone fall out from the heat.

What did you guys do before the invention of Gatorade? Just water?

I don't do the Gatorade thing. Light colored clothes, boonie hat, about 2 gallons of water a day, eat light, shade when I can, damp bandana on my head when I'm taking a break (evaporating water cools you down quite a bit).

A thin, light colored long sleve shirt (mostly to stop the sunburn), about 2 gallons of water a day and Gatorade or 10K, or something like that, take frequent breaks and get out of the sun as much as you can. Wet rag around the neck, and a hat that allows ventilation. I wet down my shirt and head to help cool off. If you are only drinking water, you could actually die from it. Your body needs other stuff to be able to process that water.
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm
This is something we really need to watch when fighting a fire in the summer heat. Sometimes we can be out there for hours and forget that we need to take a break BEFORE it becomes a dire need. And drink water slowley, and use electrolyte tablets, or Gatorade.
NO ALCAHOL OR CAFFINE IN THE HEAT, THEY ARE THE WORST THING YOU CAN DRINK!!!!
Wearing the shirt will also help keep you from getting skin cancer over time.

Sweet Tea.
Ive also done sugar water.

Water by itself is a godsend and shouldn't be tainted by anything else unless you have more then one container. I made that mistake 1 time.

Sometimes I'll do just water and a can of mountain dew or coke for lunch too.

As long as u guzzle water all day you can bust some *** and do anything.

When I'm out in direct sun I'll take a shirt and drape it over my head, held down by my hard hat, to protect my neck and keep me cool. I did that religiously along with long sleeve shirts on commercial roofs..


-JRJ

Here are some tips to help u stay hydrated in a hot or dessert climate

1. Eat light small meals they r easier to digest and take less water from your body to digest.
2. Drink water lots and lots of water if you want to put some gatorade or other stuff in that's fine to.
3. when drinking water don't chug it u can make yourself nausea real easy in a hot climate.
4. protect your body from direct sun exposure if that means wearing long sleeves so be it. It won't make u cooler but the sun litterally bakes the water out of all your exposed skin making in even harder to stay hydrated.
5. leave the salt shaker at home there is enough sodium in the food u eat but for every gram of salt u take it takes an equal amount of water from the body and locks it away. This is same principle that causes salt to melt ice by the way.
6. Ice cold water is refreshing but not required because if its ice cold then your body has to reheat it wasting energy.
7. never every pour ice water over someone who has possible heat injury or to cool your self down this wild swing in temperature can cause the body over compensate which can cause fainting or worse whats called immersion syndrome same thing that killed a bunch of rangers back in the late 90 while training.

those are just some general rule hope they help

It isn't as hot as Florida or Texas or Louisiana, but Georgia can get pretty nasty in the summer too. I drink a lot of water, and I don't wear cotton, as it absorbs the sweat. I have 3 or 4 "wicking" shirts - some from REI, but Target makes them for less. These shirts help cool your body by causing your sweat to evaporate. Anybody else wear them?

When I lived in La., I use to work in the rice fields. As hot and humid as it was, it was just the way it was and just went about business as usual. I can remember having a big water cooler in the back of the truck that we would stuff with ice water. By the end of the day it was empty.

Now I'm so acclimated to living in the north that it would be a rude awakening if I had to survive in that environment now.

Soft drinks (high fructose corn syrup) are also bad in the heat. The sugar is so concentrated it will dehydrate you. Even our local boy scout summer camp no longer sells soda due to this.

To make your own drink, add one pack hydrating salts (available only online in the US), 1/4 cup sugar to 1 liter water. The sugar hides the salty taste. Table salt is not enough to rehydrate you, you need other salts too, like potassium.

Once you have been in hot weater, you understand why the people in Mexico take a break in the hottest part of the day, from 2-5pm they take siestas. Because it's smart. They either nap in the shade, or go home to their families for a late lunch/early dinner, then return to the worksite. Believe me, they put in at least 8 hrs per day.

I actually got to experience both of these within two days this week. One day was the Sonoran Desert with 86F, clear skies and plenty of sun. The next day was at 8000 feet with snow, a low of 27F and about 30 mph winds.

86F isn't a scorcher but you still need to protect yourself from the affects of the sun. For the heat it was hat, sunglasses, sun block, light colored cotton clothes and plenty of water.

Around here we get maybe a week of hotter weather. Sun still burns the skin the same so I just cover up. On the hotter days I just take days off and jump on the bike and ride.

Calgary this morning got 18" of snow. :confused: We didnt get any and I live on the side of a mountain.

It doesnt get that warm here that you need to do much to be comfy, And as we all know its dressing in layers. I drink the same ammount when its cold and when its warm, Keep your hear covered and try to avoid large meals, One thing ive learned is in when it gets really nice and warm take of a t-shirt if you are wearing one, and put on a normal shirt like you might wear to work and just use about 4 butons in the middle to fasten it. Works a treat, All you really need to do is keep the sun off you

It can get hot down here in Florida during the Summer and the high humidity doesn't help. Really got to keep an eye on the young and the elderly when they're outside in the Summer down here. Doesn't get much cooler at night either. Just because the sun goes down doesn't mean there's no risk of hyperthermia.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aurelius95

It isn't as hot as Florida or Texas or Louisiana, but Georgia can get pretty nasty in the summer too. I drink a lot of water, and I don't wear cotton, as it absorbs the sweat. I have 3 or 4 "wicking" shirts - some from REI, but Target makes them for less. These shirts help cool your body by causing your sweat to evaporate. Anybody else wear them?

---

I've never experienced the summer heat of the southern states. I've only experienced California summer heat. I do remember though back in 2005 being in San Antonio, TX in February and it felt hot and was 80 degrees out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tunick001

I've never experienced the summer heat of the southern states. I've only experienced California summer heat. I do remember though back in 2005 being in San Antonio, TX in February and it felt hot and was 80 degrees out.

---

Ya know I haven't tried the shirts but I do wear hiking pants that wick if the foreman isn't strict on blue jeans. I don't mind my chest, back, arms and neck sweating. When my b**** are sweating the world slows down and life loses all meaning.


-JRJ

Let's remember the kids, kids.

Sorry about that rick.


-JRJ

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick

Let's remember the kids, kids.

---

Twinkies ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tunick001

I've never experienced the summer heat of the southern states. I've only experienced California summer heat. I do remember though back in 2005 being in San Antonio, TX in February and it felt hot and was 80 degrees out.

---

You should be here in July/August. Ugh. Can't wait to get outta here.

Great post SgtDoom! I think protection from the sun cannot be overemphasized. I grew up in the sonoran desert and love nothing more than a long trail run, in the afternoon, at about 105 degrees. But, as already mentioned, hydration is key. I also check how often I go and the color of my urine. Darker urine is more concentrated and can mean dehydration. Only going once or twice per day is also a more ominous sign.

I am a big fan of electrolyte replacement drinks, for a variety of reasons. First, the sugar is probably the most important. As water passes from the lumen of the intestine, to the blood stream (where it is needed), it binds with glucose molecules. WHO ORS solution discovered this and I believe there was a nobel prize associated with it. The idea is that the glucose in your sweet drink (gatorade, emergen-c, fruit juice, etc) helps the water get into your bloodstream faster than just plain water.

Great topic and good info! Thanks!

(looking at self in mirror) I've got lumens?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AdventureDoc

I also check how often I go and the color of my urine. Darker urine is more concentrated and can mean dehydration.

---

AdventureDoc when I have to teach new soldier out here in Iraq I stick with the following simple saying. If your urine is white your alright, if your urine is yellow your a hurting fellow. It sticks with most people that way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick

(looking at self in mirror) I've got lumens?

---

Good for you Rick :rolleyes:

Doom--I am going to steal that line...great!

:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rick

(looking at self in mirror) I've got lumens?

---

explains yer ill-lumenating wisdom and yer lumenous personalilty there skippy.

Well, cool then, Scooter. I thought they were something bad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick

Well, cool then, Scooter. I thought they were something bad.

---

Well no, just means yer radioactive and in a short time will be glowing like crash...nothing to worry about.

Lumens.....so that explains it.
http://content.answers.com/main/cont...Glow_Homer.jpg

I sometimes have to work outside humping cinder blocks all day. I take a gallon of water to work every day and on a regular day I drink about 2-3 qts. of water a day. On hot days, I tend to drink 4 qts. When it is very hot and humid (90 and above) I drink upwards of 6 qts. I also go by urine color and how often I have to urinate. It can get very hot and humid especially in the city so I am always conscious of heat problems.
I always work with different people and during hot days I am always telling them to drink fluids. Even though they do the same work in the same environment all the time, some people just won't listen. I see heat exhaustion all the time during heat waves and on a rare occasion heat stroke. If you are thirsty you are already dehydrated.

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