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380AEW Article

Prepare for summer high temps

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Eric Peterson
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing
Undisclosed area --  Airmen assigned to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing need to prepare for rising summer temperatures and the potential health issues that will accompany them, said the aerospace and operational physiologist assigned to the wing's medical group.

Air Force Capt. Maggie Coppini said Airmen have already reported to the clinic displaying symptoms of dehydration. In those cases, medical personnel provided intravenous fluids to help rehydrate them.

She said to avoid dehydration it's important that Airmen continue to drink fluids, even when they don't feel thirsty.

"Dehydration is the biggest concern for us here in the medical group with respect to such extreme heat," said Coppini. By the time you're thirsty, you're already about two to three percent of your body weight dehydrated. If you are the average 170 pound male, that could be four to five pounds of water that your body is lacking before you even feel that you're thirsty."

Coppini said Airmen should plan on drinking a specific amount of water each day during the hot summer months. A helpful way to track the amount of water consumed is to keep count of the used water bottle caps by putting them into your pocket.

"In the heat we'll typically sweat about one liter an hour," said Coppini. "That can increase up to two liters per hour for people who are working the flightline. So if you want to replenish that fluid that you're losing you're going to want to have a bottle of water about every 30 to 60 minutes."

She encourages Airmen new to the 380 AEW to slowly acclimatize themselves to the heat during the months of May and June as extremely high temperatures are yet to come.

"July and August are definitely going to be our hottest months here," said Coppini. "Anywhere from 110 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, or mid 40's degrees centigrade is typical for coastal regions in the area, but because we are more inland, the temperatures are even hotter than that."

She said Airmen working flightline jobs on hot black asphalt and in direct sunlight may be exposed to even higher temperatures. Aircraft crew chiefs and mechanics may experience temperatures reaching more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Coppini warns that overexposure to high temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion and to potentially fatal heatstroke. Both conditions require immediate attention.

"With heat exhaustion, the primary thing you want to do is remove the person from the environment. If the person is in the sun, you'll want to move them into the shade or indoors. If they're exercising, get them to stop exercising."

She said once the individual is in the shade they can be made more comfortable by offering sips of water, loosening their clothing, fanning their body and spraying a cool mist on them. A medic should be called to monitor their body temperature, heart rate and any mental confusion that may exist.

She said heatstroke occurs after the body temperature reaches upwards of 106 degrees Fahrenheit and can no longer cool itself.

"In that case, you immediately need to get medical help. Lay the person down in the shade with feet elevated until medics arrive, undress them as much as possible, pour some cool water on them and give sips of water or a sports drink if not unconscious," said Coppini.

Coppini said Airmen also need to protect themselves from harmful solar radiation. A sky full of particulate may give people the false sense of protection.

"Even on those hazy days it's really important to cover ourselves up, either with your clothing, or hats, depending on whether or not your job allows it, and by using sunscreen."

She said individuals should also be careful when using the sun for their source of vitamin D.

"How much vitamin D or sun exposure you need really depends upon genetics and fairness of skin," said Coppini. "So somebody who is a fair-skinned individual, about 30 minutes a couple times a week is sufficient, where someone who has darker skin pigmentation, they might need a little bit longer exposure time."

Coppini recommends Airmen that plan to spend time outdoors apply a sunscreen rated at sun protection factor (SPF) 30 or above and reapply it at least every 90 minutes to protect against sunburns.

She said the symptoms of first-degree sunburn include a burning sensation, redness and skin that is hot to the touch. During the healing process, the first layer of skin will peel.

"If you get to the point of having blisters or extreme pain, that's a second-degree burn, and that's when you're going to want to see a doctor immediately," said Coppini.