EXSS 265- (17) Inclement Weather

what is the distance lightening must be at for people to move into a safe location?

6 miles out

what is considered a safe location during a lightening storm?

• Indoors

• away from windows

• building with plumbing

• worst case scenario, chill in a car

what is the very last resort in a lightening storm?

moving to the lowest part of a field, squatted, balls of feet up, heels touching, covering ears

what do most emergency action plans tell teams to do with lightening?

go to the locker room

how much time should activities be suspended for after last visible strike?

30 mins

is there a scenario where activities could resume before the 30 mins is up?

if the event has weather service, and they can confidently say the cell is moving away from the event

how can you tell how far the last lightening strike is?

flash-to-bang count

why does the flash to bang count work?

speed of light is faster than speed of sound; will always see lightening before hearing thunder

explain the flash to bang method

however many seconds it takes to get to thunder, divide by 5 and that is your mileage; if count is 5 secs, then divide by five, and the lightening is 1 mile away

what are five important things to establish in a lightening specific emergency action plan?

• promote lightening safety slogans supported by national weather service

• establish a chain of command

• use reliable means of monitoring weather

• identify safe locations

• identify specific criteria for suspending and resuming activity

what is a common lightening safety slogan?

when thunder roars, go indoors!

why is it important to establish a chain of command?

• people making decisions beed to be high up, because they are liable for injuries

• higher ups make the final call

what is thought of as a reliable means of monitoring weather?

having a subscription to the weather service

what are heat cramps?

exercise-associated muscle cramps

what is a heat cramp?

involuntary, painful contraction of skeletal muscle

what are the causes of heat cramps?

• causes not fully confirmed

• common thoughts are dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, altered NM control, fatigue

what is the Tx for heat cramps?

• ice

• gentle stretch

• activated antagonist

• squeeze it

how does ice help heat cramps?

provides sensory input that helps ease the spasm and break off

why do stretches need to be gentle for heat cramps?

trying to engage mechanoreceptors to tell muscle to relax and be inhibited

what is heat syncope?

orthostatic dizziness; fainting

what are synonyms for syncope?

fainting, syncope, black out, passin out

what is a sign of heat syncope?

sudden change in posture after standing in the heat

what is heat syncope caused by?

maximal skin vasodilation

what is heat syncope attributed to?

dehydration, venous pooling of blood, reduced cardiac filling, low blood pressure with cerebral ischemia

what is the Tx for heat syncope?

elevate legs

what is heat exhaustion?

inability to exercise in the heat

what are the factors that lead to heat exhaustion?

• cardiovascular insufficiency

• hypotension

• energy depletion

• central fatigue

what is central fatigue?

central nervous system; occurs when things change in the way the body transmits neural waves

what are the symptoms of heat exhaustion?

• elevated core body temperature (above 98.6, below 105)

• heavy sweating

• dehydration

• predisposition

what makes someone predisposed to heat exhaustion?

unacclimated/dehydrated; people in larger bodies

what is the treatment for heat exhaustion?

• cool body (environment, remove wet clothes)

• hydrate

what is heat stroke?

the most severe heat illness

what is the core temperature of heat stroke?

core temperature above 105

what are the causes of heat stroke?

• thermoregulatory system is overwhelmed (internal heat production, environmental heat load)

• inhibited heat loss

what are the symptoms of heat stroke?

• CNS dysffunction

• collapse

• aggressiveness

• irritability

• confusion

• seizures

• altered consciousness

• sweating ceases

what can heat stroke progress to?

multi organ system failure

what is the treatment for heat stroke?

heroic measures to cool body (ice bath immersion)