Riding and Push Lawnmower Safety!

Have you ever been surprised by how fast a child can be in one place and the next time you turn around they are in another?  Have you ever been shocked by how fast an accident can happen?  In this episode, I address lawn mower safety as a result of a terrible tragedy where a 5 year old girl was hit and then run over by a riding lawn mower. It is unknown as to the exact details leading up to this horrific accident or what the abnormal conditions may have been that caused this to happen.  The little girl was pronounced dead on scene. There was nothing related to first aid that would have helped her but I have to think that being more sensitive to prevention may be able to save future lives.   I pray for a miraculous Grace and healing to be given to the surviving family members of this little girl and I hope to remind us all of some ways to ensure this doesn’t happen.

May God bless and heal this family.

Roy, RoyOnRescue.com

Link To News Story:

RoyOnRescue.com

 

How To Survive a Flash Flood

Ahhh…Spring is in the air. What a lovely time of year. The air becomes warmer, birds begin singing and the snow begins to melt. Now, just add some strong spring rains and…you’ve got floods! Right now, the National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for the North Central U.S. In this episode of RoyOnRescue, we take a look at flash floods, how to be on guard and how to survive one if you are ever caught off guard.
Don’t miss this episode of RoyOnRescue and get ready to be safe and help others be safe that might be at risk for flash flood emergencies.

Best Wishes,
Roy, RoyOnRescue
royonrescue@gmail.com

Staying Safe In the Winter Storm of 2011!

Hello Everyone,

Most of us know what to do to prepare for a bad winter storm, but because we all can use reminders from time to time, I thought I’d post a video blog that just highlights some of the things to think about.  From generators to alternative heat sources, driving safety measures to foods that are easy to store, to ways to safely remove snow from our roofs, this video blog tries to highlight some important things to remember while weathering a winter storm.

Hope it helps in time.

Best Wishes,

Roy, RoyOnRescue.com

Staying Safe In The Heat

QUESTION:

“It’s so hot where we live and it seems that we have elderly people who suffer most when it gets hot and humid.  Is there anything I can do to stay cool myself and maybe even help someone who is having a heat related health problem?”

Signed,

Melting in Florida

Dear Melting,

Benjamin Franklin once said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This saying applies to many different health care related scenarios, heat related emergencies certainly not the least of them.

When staying safe and healthy in hot and humid weather it is important to understand what types of environments will put one at risk.

To get started, let’s take a look at how a heat index works.

A heat index combines air temperature with relative humidity as a way of determining how hot a person feels.  A person feels hotter in more humid climates because the moisture in the air does not allow one’s perspiration to carry the heat generated by the body away and evaporate as easily.  When the body cannot cool itself by perspiration and evaporation, the body’s temperature rises and one may feel less comfortable or may even lead to more serious heat related problem.

An example of what could take place in certain heat indexes are as follows:

  1. 80–90 °F  Caution — fatigue is possible with prolonged exposure and activity. Prolonged activity could result in heat cramps.
  2. 90-105 °F  Extreme Caution — heat cramps, and heat exhaustion are possible.  Prolonged exposure and activity could result in heat stroke.
  3. 105-130 °F  Danger — heat cramps, and heat exhaustion are likely; heat stroke is probable with continued activity.
  4. Over 130 °F Extreme danger — heat stroke is imminent.                                                                                                                                                                                               (Please note that these are shade values.  Exposure to direct full sunshine could increase these heat values by more than 10 degrees.) Closely paraphrased from the public domain article Heat Index on the website of the Pueblo, CO United States National Weather Service.

Most individuals can indeed acclimatize to heat which will help the body tolerate hotter conditions with less stress to the body.  This process for normal healthy individuals usually takes about 5 -7 days.  This should be done gradually and with a person maintaining good hydration.  A person is capable of sweating up to 2-3 gallons of water per day in hot conditions and cannot rely on the thirst drive in order to know when to drink.  During heavy sweating, a person should be drinking approximately 5-7 ounces every 15 minutes 20-30 ounces per hour in order to replenish lost fluids.  Valuable electrolytes such as sodium, calcium and potassium may be lost during heavy perspiration and should be replaced with proper nutrition and diet. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hotenvt.html

Those who are most vulnerable to these heat indexes include:

  • infants,
  • the elderly (often with associated heart diseases, lung diseases, kidney diseases, or who are taking medications that make them vulnerable to heat strokes),
  • athletes, and
  • outdoor workers physically exerting themselves under the sun.

or

Those who do not have means for escaping the heat.  Some examples of how to escape the heat include:

  1. Circulation of air by fan or ventilation,
  2. Accessing lakes, ponds or pools
  3. Air conditioning or subterranean cooling like a vegetable cellar or cool basement.
  4. In certain cases, placing ice bags under arm pits or around the neck or over other arteries like the wrists, ankles, top of head which may help in cooling core body temperatures.
  5. Cool or tepid bath water or a cool shower

If an individual does not have means of cooling and succumbs to the heat they may be suffering from heat fatigue, heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  Let’s take a look at each of these and how to treat each problem.

Definition Heat Fatigue: The signs and symptoms of heat fatigue may include heavy sweating, muscle weakness, tiredness, and impaired performance of skilled sensorimotor jobs.

Treatment:  Remove from heat, encourage water intake and good healthy nutrition and allow person to rest.  Allow person to acclimatize longer to increased heat environment.

Definition Heat Exhaustion: The signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion may include all of the above with the addition of heat cramps in legs, abdomen, back, calves and arms, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion and lethargy.

Treatment:  Remove from heat, encourage fluid intake, loosen clothing, poor water over persons body to soak clothing and begin cooling persons body. Monitor person for unresponsiveness, difficulty breathing or cardiac arrest.  If person is not improving with treatment or symptoms worsen, activate EMS or 911.  Heat exhaustion can become heat stroke if body temperature is not reduced.

Definition of Heat Stroke:   All of the above for heat exhaustion but usually progress to the following:

  • high body temperature
  • the absence of sweating, with hot red or flushed dry skin
  • rapid pulse
  • difficulty breathing
  • strange behavior
  • hallucinations
  • confusion
  • agitation
  • disorientation
  • seizure
  • coma

Treatment: Remove person from source of heat, loosen clothing, begin cooling the person’s body safely as soon as possible in order to lower body temperature.  Nothing should be given by mouth once the person cannot drink safely on their own.  Activate EMS/911 and support with CPR and First Aid for life saving measures. http://www.medicinenet.com/heat_stroke/article.htm

So, next time you’re planning a trip out into hot conditions, take a moment to check the heat index and formulate a plan for protecting, preventing and treating yourself and others who might fall to heat related emergencies.  Oh, and if you know someone who may be vulnerable to hot weather, see if you have an extra fan, or maybe even give them some tips on how to cool down right in their own home.  You could just find that you have some rescue hero in you too.

Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke

In this RoyOnRescue, I reply to a question a student emailed me about how to recognize heat exhaustion and heat stroke and how to treat both.   If you ever wondered if a person was just “over heated” or if they might be in danger of suffering a life threatening heat stroke, you will want to watch this video blog reply.

In some parts of the country it doesn’t feel very hot but don’t be fooled…Summer is just around the corner.  Be ready and don’t allow you or someone you love to become a victim of Heat Stroke!

Surviving A Flood

Flooding causes many problems with people who experience them.  From drowning to hypothermia and fractures to contaminated drinking water.  In this episode, Roy talks about the massive flooding that has affected the Tennessee region and what types of injuries and illness floods can bring.

ABC News and Video of Tennessee Flood

Snake Bites Part 2 of 2

In Part 1 of Snake Bites we talked about the different kinds of poisonous snakes that pose a risk for serious danger. Remember we were talking about an Emergency Responder who who had emailed me? She helps out with California High Desert Racing and the medical response team and is having some issues with Poisonous snake bites and 35-45 minute response times. This due to being so far away from civilization. In part 1 of this response video blog, we took a look at the different types of rattlesnakes that are causing problems, how they might kill a person and how we as rescuers could make the difference between life and death. In this second part, we will get to the bottom of the correct treatment strategy in order to save a snake bite victims life and limb.

Snake Bites Part 1 of 2

An Emergency Responder who helps out with California High Desert Races is having some issues with Poisonous Snake Bites and slow response times due to being so far away from civilization. In this response video blog, we take a look at the different types of rattlesnakes that are causing problems, how they might kill a person and how we as rescuers could make the difference between life and death.