Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
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Heat & Cold Related Emergencies
Factors that Influence the Body’s Ability to Regulate Temperature
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People at Increased Risk for Heat or Cold Related Illnesses 1.
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Heat Cramps
 Painful spasms of skeletal muscle that usually occur in the abdomen and legs
 Signs & Symptoms
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 Care
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-2-
Heat Exhaustion
 The early stage and most common form of heat related illness
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 Signs & Symptoms
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Heat Stroke
 The least common yet and most severe heat emergency
 Body systems are overwhelmed by heat and begin to stop functioning
 Signs & Symptoms
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 Without proper care, the victim will die
Care for Heat Related Illness
 Care in early stages –
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 Care in late stages –
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-3-
Frostbite
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 It can lead to the loss of extremities
 Signs & Symptoms
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 White, yellow, or blue
Care for Frostbite
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-4-
Hypothermia
 When the entire body cools when its warming mechanism fails
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 Signs & Symptoms
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Care for Hypothermia
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Preventing Heat & Cold Related Emergencies
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-5-
Bites & Stings
Signs & Symptoms of Common Bites and Stings
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Insects
 Many Americans are severely allergic to the venom of bees, wasps, and hornets.
 When these people are stung they need immediate medical attention.
 Care –
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Preventing Bites and Stings
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-6-
Tick Borne Diseases
 Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (bacterial infection)
– Signals of infection – fever, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, lack of appetite
– Later signals – Spotted rash, abdominal pain, joint pain, diarrhea
 Babesia Infection (protozoa infection)
– Signals of infection – fever, seats, chills, body and headaches, no appetite, nausea,
fatigue
– Others develop a type of anemia that causes dark urine or jaundice.
 Ehrlichiosis (bacterial infection)
– Signals of infection – fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches
– Later signals – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, joint pains, confusion, rash
 Lyme Disease
– Signals of infection – bull’s eye rash, fever, headache, weakness, joint and muscle pain
– Later signals – severe fatigue, stiff, aching neck, tingling or numbness in fingers and toes,
facial paralysis
Preventing Tick Borne Diseases
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 If you find a tick, it must be removed
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-7-
Mosquitoes & West Nile Virus
 WNV is passed on to human by mosquitoes that bite them after feeding on infected birds.
 Signs & Symptoms –
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 There is no specific treatment for WNV infection or vaccine to prevent it.
 In severe cases, victims need to go to the hospital for intravenous fluids, help with breathing and
nursing.
Spiders
 The black widow and the brown recluse are the only two spiders than can kill or seriously injure.
 Signs & Symptoms for Black Widow Bites  Sharp pinprick pain followed by a dull pain
 Muscle rigidity
 Restlessness, anxiety, and sweating
 Signs & Symptoms for Brown Recluse Bites –
 Little to no initial pain
 Blood filled blister that will increase in size and rupture leaving a black scar
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Snakes
 There are four types of poisonous snakes in the U.S:
 Rattlesnake
 Copperhead
 Cottonmouth
 Coral snake
 Most deaths from snake bites occur because the victim has an allergic reaction or is in poor
health, or because too much time passes before the victim receives medical attention.
Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-8-
 Signs & Symptoms
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 Care –
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Domestic or Wild Animal Bites
Rabies
 A disease caused by a virus transmitted through the saliva of diseased mammals.
 Rabies can be fatal if it is not treated.
 Anyone bitten by a wild or domestic animal must seek medical help immediately.
 Treating rabies involves a series of vaccine injections to build up immunity.
Care for Animal Bites
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
-9-
Marine Life
Types of marine life that can sting –
 Jellyfish, sea anemone, Portuguese man-of-war
 Sting ray, sea urchin, spiny fish
 Signs & Symptoms
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Care for Marine Life Stings
 Sting from a jellyfish, sea anemone, or Portuguese man-of-war 
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 Sting from a sting ray, sea urchin, or spiny fish –
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 Call 911 if
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Poisonous Plants
 Examples of poisonous plants include poison ivy, sumac, and oak
 Care for poisonous plant contact by o _____________________________________________________________________
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website
Emergency Care
Chapter Six - Environment Emergencies
- 10 -
Lightening
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During thunderstorms –
– Postpone activities immediately
– Designate safe locations and move there at the first sound of thunder
– 30-30 Rule – when you see lightening, count the time until you hear thunder. If it’s 30
seconds or less the storm is within 6 miles. Seek shelter! Wait 30 minutes after the last
clap of thunder before leaving the shelter.
– Stay away from plumbing, electrical equipment and wiring during a thunderstorm.
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Reach safety by –
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If lightening is striking nearby and you are out –
– Squat in a tight ball on insulating material
– Take off anything metal
– Do not lay down
– Hair on end? Cover your ears, close your eyes and squat!
– Stay 15 feet away from other people but stay in sight of each other
Lightening Injuries
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Signals –
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Care –
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Chapter notes can be found on Mrs. Kathleen Kelley’s Emergency Care Website