He did all the right things, including pouring water over her head and lying her on cool shady ground.
We were reminded of the dangers of heat exhaustion today as we responded to Sunset Ridge to help a young woman who was overcome by the heat and unable to move.
She was accompanied by Boyfriend Of The Year who was incredibly well prepared and doing all the right things. He poured water over her head and had her lying on cool shady ground, which doesn’t sound very romantic but these are both good was to dissipate heat. He even had an ice pack for her armpit! When we reached her we plied her with drink and electrolytes and in time she stabilised to the point that she could walk.
She carefully picked her way down Sunset Ridge on angry knees, supported by us and eyeing the litter that Underhill and Jericho Fire Department had brought up, just in case. With rests and encouragement she was able to make it down under her own steam, much to everyone’s relief.
The takeaways? Be aware of heat exhaustion which if untreated can lead to heat stroke. Drink lots, seek shade, use the cool ground and evaporation as cooling mechanisms. Oh, and get yourself a partner who will prepare for every eventuality, call for help when necessary and carry your backpack for you. We call that a keeper!
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