This document provides information on heat emergencies, including heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat stroke. It describes the signs and symptoms of each condition as well as recommended first aid treatment. Additional sections cover burns including burn depth, types of burns from thermal, electrical, chemical and other sources, and treatment for minor and severe burns. Guidance is also given for lightning strike injuries and dangerous places to avoid during lightning storms.

1. Prepared By
Dr. Zuhair Rushdi Mustafa
Lecturer at University of Duhok/ College of Nursing
Heat Emergencies

2. There are three typesof heat emergencies
you maybe required to treat:
1. Heat Exhaustion
2. Heat Cramps
3. Heat Stroke

3. Heat exhaustion
associated with salt and water depletion, and heat exposure or
heavy exertion.
Characteristics:
# is lessdangerous than heatstroke.
# is “most common” heat emergency
# common during hot weather sporting
events & outdoor occupational
activities due to inadequate fluid intake.
#common when hot weather emerges
rapidly.

4. Signs and Symptoms
1. Cool, Pale, and Moist Skin
2. Headache/ weakness
3. blurred vision
4. Heavy Sweating
5. Nausea and Vomiting
6. Body temperature mildly elevated or will be near
normal. (37.4 c).
7. If not treated, it lead to heat stroke,
unconsciousness, coma and death.

5. Treatment
1. Get the victim out of the heat and into a cool, shady area or
create shade if none is available.
2. Place in the shock position, lying on the back with feet
raised.
3. Remove or loosen clothing.
4. Cool by fanning or applying cold packs or wet towels or
sheets.

6. Treatment (con’)
5. If conscious, give water to drink every 15 minutes followed
by a salt solution (one teaspoon of salt to one litre of water).
6. give cool water because the body absorbs cool water faster
than warm; therefore, cool water is preferred if it is available.)
7. Avoid beverages containing alcohol or caffeine,
both of which increase dehydration.
8. if the casualty’s condition worsens, place them in the
recovery position and dial 122 .

7. Heat cramps
are muscular pain and spasms due to heavy exertion.
They usually involve the abdominal muscles or legs.
Sings and Symptoms
1. recent profuse sweating
2. muscles cramping in extremities
3. abdominal cramping
4. headache

8. Treatment:
1. Get victim to a cool place.
2. If he can, give one-half glass of water every 15
minutes.
3. do not massage cramping muscles.

9. Heat Stroke is the most serious type of heat
emergency.
It is life-threatening and requires immediate and
aggressive treatment!.
The body temperature rises very high that brain
damage -and death- may result unless the body is
cooled quickly.

10. Signs & Symptoms:
1. skin” hot” to touch, “Red ”
in color & “dry” to the touch
2. body temperature in
very high sometimes
excess of 40. 5 c.
3. sweating stops
4. unconsciousness, convulsions,
collapse and death.

11. Treatment
1. Moving him to a cool, shady area or
make up shade if none is available
2. Loosening or removing his clothing
3. Cool the victim immediately in any manner possible
for example spraying or pouring water on him; fanning
him.

12. 4. apply ice packs or wet cloths, immersion into
cold water to head, neck, armpits & groin.
5. If available, place the victim into a bathtub of cool water,
wrap in wet sheets.
6. Don’t give the victim anything to eat or drink if he
is vomiting or unconscious.
7. If the victim become unconscious, treat for shock, manage
A-B-C’s and dial 122 for help.

13. HEAT BURNS
Types of Burns
1. Thermal
A. Hot Flames B. Steam C. hot liquids
2. Electrical
– Lightning
– Low-voltage current
3. Chemical: exposure to strong acid and alkali.
4. Radiation: Sunburn, over-exposure to ultra-violet (UV)
lamp.
6. Cold injury: Contact with freezing metals, dry ice, freezing
vapors e.g. liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen

14. Severity of Burn
Severity depends upon
– Extent
– Depth
Extent estimated by
– Rule of nines to measure
body surface area BSA

15. Rule of Nines

16. Rule of Nines–Pediatric

17. Burn Depth
1st degree involves the
epidermis only.
2nd degree involves the
epidermis and top of dermis.
3rd degree involves all the skin,
sub-cutaneous tissues and lower.
4th degree is frequently not used, - but it
involves burns through the body and into
bone.
Epidermis
Dermis
Subcutaneous
Tissue

18. First Degree
Burn Depth
Second Degree Third Degree
Full-Thickness
Burn
Partial- Thickness
Burn
Superficial
Burn

19. Partial-Thickness Burns
1st & 2nd Degree
First Degree Burn
Second Degree Burn

20. Full-Thickness Burns
3rd Degree
Eschar

21. Electrical Burns
Courtesy of David Effron, M.D.
Courtesy of Bonnie Meneely, EMT- P

22. Chemical Burns
ACID BURN

23. Second Degree Burn

24. Evaluating the burn and degree
of emergency
 call 122 when burn involves:
1. face (possible inhalation).
2. hands & feet (may result in muscle contractures).
3. genitalia area (may result in serious infections).
4. Very young and very old have a high risk of
death.

25. Treatment of minor burn (1st degree)
1. remove clothing unless stuck, cut around this area
to avoid pulling off body tissue.
2. Gently remove any rings, jewelry, watches, belts
before it starts to swell.
3. Place the injured part under slowly running cold
water, or soak in cold water for 10-20 minutes to
relieve pain.

26. 4. Cover area with sterile dressing, or any clean
clothes and bandage in place. Don't use
adhesive dressings.
5. Don't apply lotions, ointments or fat to burn.
6. Don't break blisters .
7. Do NOT use ice for cooling.
8. Transfer victim to hospital.

27. Treatment of Severe Burns (2nd & 3rd degree)
1. Get causality out of fire (wrap body in blanket if flames).
2. manage A-B-C’s and Call 122.
3. Cool the burn area with water for 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Lay the casualty down, protect burn area from ground
contact.
5. Gently remove any rings, watches, belts .
6. cover full thickness burns with sterile dressing or clean
cloth

28. 7. Don't remove anything that is sticking to the burn.
8. Don't apply lotions, ointments, butter or fat to the injury.
9. Don't break blisters.
10. If breathing and heartbeat stop, start CPR. immediately,
11. Treat for shock if occur ( lay on back, raise the feet, head
in one side).

29. Treatment of Chemical burn
1. Call 122 & manage A-B-C’
2. Flush area with gentle flow
water15 minutes minimum.
3. Do not use pressure water
source (this will lead to forces of chemical into body)
4. Do not wet dry chemical (this will activate action of chemical)
instead brush off dry chemical.
5. remove clothing and jewelry
7. Do not touch chemical yourself.

30. Treatment of electrical burn
1. Call 122. Manage A-B-C’s
2. consider your own safety
first.
3. disconnect power.
3. cover both wounds (entrance & exit) with sterile
dry bandage or clean dry cloth
4. Be prepared to do CPR, patient may experience
a cardiac arrest.

31. LIGHTNING STRIKE
1. victim will be at risk for
cardiac or respiratory arrest.
2. Manage A-B-C’s and Call 122.
3. if the area is a high risk area of being struck again
with lightening, get to safety.

32. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
SITES TO AVOID
1. open fields
2. under trees
3. on or near water
4. on the golf course
5. on a telephone cabinet.
BOOM