Heat Illness

Heat Illness Safety Tips

Heat illness occurs when your body cannot keep itself cool in hot weather. Sweating can help keep your body temperature down, but in the extreme heat, sweating is not enough to prevent heat illness. If your body temperature becomes too high, it can cause permanent damage to your brain and other vital organs.

Symptoms of Heat Illness

It’s important to recognize the symptoms of heat illness because the body’s temperature can rise quite rapidly. Left untreated, heat illness can cause permanent brain damage or even death.

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headache
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• High temperature
• Rapid heart beat
• Reduced alertness or loss of consciousness.

Treating Heat Illness

If a person suffering from dehydration loses consciousness, begins to vomit, or refuses to drink water, call 911 for immediate medical attention.

If a person has other symptoms of heat illness, get him or her indoors (preferably in air conditioning) and ask him or her to rest and drink plenty of water.