Treatment/Cooling
Cooling the casualty – “Must Read”
Cooling with Ice and water facilities available
The quickest and least risk way of cooling a victim of heat stroke is whole body cooling, immersing them in a bath of ice cold water, and then monitor their temperature and symptoms until these have subsided.
Cooling when access to civilised facilities is not possible
If ice and cold water are not available in sufficient quantities for whole body immersion, then forced convection evaporative cooling should be used as described below.
Whole Body Evaporative Cooling – Technique
(1) When the victim is conscious all [ or most ] of their clothing should be removed and they should kneel on all fours on the ground. This position keeps most of the body’s surface available for cooling.
(2) If the victim is unconscious then, in case of vomiting or breathing difficulties, the balance of risks suggests it is better to put the victim in the recovery position laying on the ground and to fan as much of the body surface as possible.
(3) As much of the body as possible should be covered in water. If water is in limited supply or some areas cannot easily be kept wet, then consider using thin cloth soaked in water and laid, held or tied on to the body.
(4) Vigorous fanning of the victim should start as soon as possible. Fanning should be from the side of the body so the air flows over both the upper and lower surfaces a bit like an aeroplane wing.
(5) Fanning from above on the back will not create effective air flow over the front of the body.
(6) The faster the air movement over the body the greater the cooling.