Chapter 6 Environmental Emergencies

Chapter 6 Environmental EmergenciesHeat-Related Illnesses & Cold-Related EmergenciesHeat-RelatedHeat cramps-first signal that they body is having trouble with the heat.What to look for:painful muscle spasms.What to do: * move the person to a cool place to rest* give them fluids; sports drink, fruit juice or milk, water.* stretch the muscle and massage the area gently.* DO NOT GIVE THEM SALT that can worsen the cramps.* when the cramps stop, the person can resume activity. Heat ExhaustionMore severe condition than heat cramps.Often affects: athletes, firefighters, construction workers and factory workers.What to look for:* cool, moist, pale, ashen or flushed skin* headache; nausea; dizziness; weakness; and exhaustion.CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELYWhat to do until help arrives 1. rapidly cool the body 2. cover with ice bags 3. apply cooling methods for 20min. Or until body conditions improve. 4. give care for any other conditions found. Cold-Related EmergenciesFrostbite:Freezing of body partsSeverity depends upon:Air temperatureLength of exposureThe wind* can lose fingers, hands, arms, toes, feet, and legsWhat to look for1. lack of feeling in affected area2. swelling and skin appears waxy3. skin is cold to touch or discolored4. blisters, may turn black (signs of deep tissue damage).Call 9-1-1 for more serious frostbite or seek medical help as soon as possibleWhat to do until help arrives1. remove wet clothing and jewelry2. NEVER rub the area3. rewarm affected area by skin-skin contact.4. more serious injury:Soak in warm water, not warmer than 105Keep the affected area in the water until normal color returns and it feels warm5. Do not break any blisters.6. place sterile dressing around area7. Do not give ibuprofen or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugsHypothermiaThe body's ability to stay warm is goneA person will die if care is not givenThe homeless, elderly, the ill and young children are at risk.Conditions that can lead to hypothermia1. ingesting, alcohol other drugs and certain medication that can interfere with the body's ability to stay warm2. impaired circulation3. prolonged exposure to cold, wet/windyCondition or clothing.What to look for:1. shivering2. Numbness3. glassy stare4. indifference5. loss of consciousnessIf the person stops shivering before warming up, the condition has worsen, call 9-1-1 immediatelyWhat to do while waiting for help:1. care for any life-threatening conditions2. carefully move the person to a warm place3. remove wet clothing, put on dry clothing4. wrap the body in a blanket or plastic sheet, cover the head to prevent heat loss

Severe hypothermia1. person maybe unconscious2. check for breathing3. the body may feel stiff or ridged4. be prepared to start CPRPreventing heat & cold related emergencies1. Do not go outside during the hottest or coldest part of the day.2. Do activities according to temperature3. take frequent breaks4. dress appropriately5. drink large amounts of fluidsBites and StingsInsect Stings1. look for a stinger2. pain3. swelling4.signals for an allergic reactionWhat to do:1. Remove any visible stinger2. wash the site with soap and water3. cover and keep the site clean4. Put a cold pack on the area to reduce pain and swelling5. call 9-1-1 if the person start to have trouble breathing. Tick-Borne DiseaseRocky Mountain Spotted FeverIts a bacterial infectionOccurs mostly the spring and summerMostly occur in children

What to look for:Signs occur between 2 and 14 daysFeverNauseaVomitingMuscle aches or painsLack of appetiteSevere headacheLater signals:Rash- spotted rashAbdominal painJoint painDiarrhea

Contact health care providerIf left untreated it can become life threateningBabesia infection protozoa infectionSpread by deer ticks and black-legged ticks What to look for: 1. fever 2. sweats 3. chills body aches and headaches 4. no appetite 5. nausea 6. fatigue The can cause a type of anemia that can cause jaundice and dark urine. If untreated it can be life threatening.Seek medical help

Ehrlichiosis causes by the ehrlichia bacteria lone star tickSymptoms appear 5 to 10 days after the biteFever, headache, fatigue, muscle achesCan develop: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, joint pains, confusion rash.Seek medical helpLyme diseaseSpread by deer tick and black-legged tickTick is very small, hard to see.The tick must be attached to the skin 36 to 48 hours to transmit the disease.What to look for:A rash will appear just a few days after bitten.The rash looks like a bulls eye, and spreads outward. Some people never develop a rash. Fever, headache, weakness, joint and muscle pain.Advanced stages of Lyme disease painful arthritisNumbness in the arms, hands or legsSevere headaches, long or short term memory loss, confusionDizzinessProblems in seeing or hearingCan cause heart problemsSeek medical care immediatelyPreventing tick-borne diseasesCheck for ticks immediately after outdoor activityQuickly remove any ticksWash all clothing, check your petsRemoval of a tickUse a sharp pointed tweezersGet as close to the skin as possiblePull slowly and firmly do not twistDo not try to burn off a tickDo not apply petroleum jelly or nail polish to the tickWash with soap and water, apply an antibiotic ointmentIf you cant remove the tick, have them seek medical attention. Mosquito-Borne IllnessWest Nile virusPassed on to humans and other animals from infected mosquitosCannot be passed from person to personLess than 1% of people bitten by a mosquito will get WNV.Only 1 in 150 who are infected will become ill.Preventing West Nile Virus use insect repellents containing DEET stay indoors at dusk and dawn, this is when they are most active.Good screens on your windows and doorsGet rid of mosquito breeding sites, empty out standing water.What to look for:1. high fever2. headache3. neck stiffness4. confusion5.coma6.tremors7. convulsions8. muscle weakness9. vision loss10. numbness11. paralysisMay last several weeks, can cause swelling of the brain and death. Seek medical care immediately if you have these symptomsSpider Bites and Scorpion StingsDeadly spiders:Black widowBrown recluseNorthwestern brown or hobo

Black widow: black, red or brownHas a reddish hour glass on the underside of its body.Brown recluse or fiddleback: has a fiddle shape of its back.The like dark place to hide. Scorpions live in dry regionsLive under rocks, treesActive mostly at nightOnly a few species sting can cause deathHard to tell the difference so they all should be treated as a medical emergency.What to look forBlack widow has the most painful bite. Rigid muscles in the shoulders, chest, back and abdomen.Restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, headache, excessive sweating, drooping or swelling of the eyelidsBrown recluse:Little to no painA blood-filled blister forms under the skin.The blister increases in size then burst openTissue destructionSigns of spider bites & Scorpion stings1. mark of a possible bite or sting2.severe pain at the site3. nausea and vomiting4. stiff or painful joints5. chills or fever6. trouble breathing/swallowing7. sweating or salivating profusely8. dizziness or fainting, chest pains9. elevated heart rate, infection at the siteCall 9-1-1 immediately What to do until help arrivesWash the wound thoroughlyApply an antibiotic ointmentBandage the woundApply an ice or cold packEncourage the person to seek medial careKeep the area elevatedVenomous Snake Bites7000 people are bitten yearlyFewer than 5 dieRattlesnakes account for most deaths in the United States.What to look for:A bite markPainSwelling

When to call 9-1-1A bite from a venomous snake:RattlesnakeCopperheadCottonmouthcoral

Call 9-1-1 immediatelyWhat to do until help arrivesWash the woundApply an elastic bandage to slow the spread of venom:Check for feeling, warmth and color of the skinPlace the end of the bandage against the skin and use overlapping turnsThe wrap should cover a long body sectionCheck above and below the injureCheck the snugness of the bandageKeep the injured are still and lower than the heartDo not apply iceDo not cut the woundDo not apply suctionDo not apply a tourniquetDo not use electric shock, such as from a car battery.Animal Bites:Most serious possible result is rabiesTransmitted through salivaAnimals with rabies may act strangelyMay droolAppear to be partially paralyzedAct aggressively or strangely quiet

If not treated rabies is fatal

What to look for:A bite markBleedingCall 9-1-1 if bleeding is serious, you think the animal may have rabies.

Try to remember what the animal looked like and where you last saw the animalWhat to do until help arrivesCaring for an animal bite1. control the bleeding first.2. Do not clean serious wounds, they will clean it at the hospital3. if bleeding is minor wash the area with soap and water.4. apply any antibiotic ointment5. watch for signals of infectionMarine Life StingsThe stings are painful, can make you sick and some can kill you.What to look for:Possible puncture woundsPainSwellingSigns of possible allergic reactionWhen to call 9-1-1If they do not know what stung themA sting on the face, neck and starts to have breathing problemsUntil help arrives:Get a lifeguard to remove the person from the water.If you know it is from a jellyfish, apply vinegar to the area for 30 seconds

If it is from a bluebottle jellyfish, also called man-of-war, use ocean water not vinegar to rinse the area.Do not rub the wound, apply pressureOnce the stinger is removed, apply hot-waterIf the sting is from: stingray, sea urchin or spiny fish, flush with tap waterSoak the area in hot water for 20min. And then bandage.Watch for infection.Poisonous plantsHow to protect yourself or limit the effects of poisonous plants.Remove exposed clothingWash the area with soap and water as soon as possibleWash exposed clothingWash hands after exposed to petsPut a paste of baking soda and water on the area several times a daySee a health care worker if conditions become worse.LightningIn the United States lightning causes more deaths then any other weather hazardKills 100 people yearly and injures or 300Travels up to 300 miles per secondLightning can carry up to 50 million volts of electricity.Preventing lightning injuriesPick campsites that meet safety precautionsKnow local weather patternsPostpone activities ,lightning can hit without rain.Watch cloud patterns and conditionsDesignate safe locations and move to it.Every 5 seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder equals 1 mile.Find shelter quicklyIf the count is 30 seconds or less it is with in 6 miles.Wait at least 30 min. after the last clap of thunder before leaving the shelterStay away from plumbing, electrical equipment and wiringDo not use a corded phoneIf there is a tornado alert go to the lowest interior level of a building.In a lightning storm move downhillSeek uniform covering, low rolling hills if in a boat, get to land and seek coverAvoid all of the following:Metal anything connected to electrical powerHigh places, tall treesOpen placesDamp, shallow caves and tunnelsOverhangsFlood zonesFences If lightning is striking near by youSquat down on an insulating material, Take off any metalDo not lie down, make as little contact to the ground as possibleIf you feel your hair stand up your skin get tinglyCover your ears with your handsClose your eyesGet your head close to your kneesLightning injuriesThey are serious and can be fatalUnconsciousnessDazed, confused behaviorTrouble breathingNo breathingBurn marks on the skin or other open woundsMuscle injuries, broken bonesCall 9-1-1 if a person is hit by lightningWhat to do until help arrivesPerform CPR if neededGive care for injuriesBe ready to care for any other injuries that may develop, hypothermia if the person is wet.