What would YOU do?

[Marmot]

You are one of 5 members of a group on their third day of their gold D of expedition assessment.
its midday in the beggining of August, you are on the hills having just climbed 1, 500ft. and the weather has been warm and sunny for the last couple of days with temperature reaching 90f.

What should you now be looking out for within the group?

What are the signs and symptoms?

[Scott]

Make sure they drink plenty of water and relax in the shade to prevent dehydration

[timmygowalkies]

Heat Stroke: Fast shallow breathing, dialted pupils, dizziness, nausea, red skin, headache, anxiety, no appetite.

Heat Exhaustion: Cool and clammy skin, pale/flushed looking skin, headache, nausea, dizziness.

Dehydration: Thirst, dryness of mouth, restless/irratable behaviour, dizziness, cramp, headache

[jbgraham]

Rather than go through a rather clinical exposition of symptoms for heat related ailments, I would just be watching my people carefully for any changes. I would be watching for changes in mood or withdrawal from conversation, any loss of physical coordination or excessive fatigue, loss of appetite or willingness to drink. Of course I would be watching for flushed skin and excessive sweating, but these types of indications of drop in morale are often easier to spot and distinguish from the normal signs of extreme exertion. Hopefully everybody would be wearing hats or bandanas and have on sun screen, but I would be watching for sunburned areas they might have missed. I would stop at water sources we come across and encourage everyone to wet their face and head, and perhaps their hat or bandana as well, setting an example in doing so myself. This is a good chance to check out the group, if somone dunks his head in the stream, or just sits there and closes his eyes, this could be an indicator of a developing problem. I would tend to throw water on the catatonic one and encourage the dunker to take as long as he needs.

[blackstar]

i would look very carfuly for....a phonebook to hire a solicitor cos i just KNOW sombodies parents are gonna sue me lol!