WITH the Met Office warning of a 90% probability that the criteria for a Heat-Health Alert will be met across England until Sunday, first aid and health response charity St John Ambulance has issued simple – potentially lifesaving – advice for staying safe and cool in the hot weather.

Dr Lynn Thomas, St John Ambulance’s Medical Director, says: ‘Once again as we face several days of potential heatwave conditions, we at St John want to ensure that everyone has the information they need at their fingertips to stay safe and well in this unusually hot and dry weather.

‘I appeal to everyone, but especially families with youngsters or the elderly as members, to keep an eye on the ongoing weather forecasts and on Met Office alerts.

‘Many conditions do not need to result in a trip to hospital if you know some basic first aid techniques, and take care to wear a hat, use sun cream and stay hydrated with water.

‘Please enjoy the hot weather but also make sure you take the necessary steps to avoid any associated health issues.’

Hot weather first aid advice from St John Ambulance

Long periods in the sun can take its toll after a while and can lead to heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is caused by a loss of salt and water from the body, usually through excessive sweating. It develops slowly and usually happens to people who aren’t used to hot, humid weather. If you’re at an outdoor event and it’s very hot, it’s easy to suffer from heat exhaustion.

How to spot heat exhaustion:  

There are six key things that you may lead you to suspect that someone has heat exhaustion:

1.      Headache.

2.      Dizziness and confusion.

3.      Loss of appetite and feeling sick.

4.      Sweating with pale clammy skin.

5.      Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach.

6.      Fast, weakening pulse and breathing.

How to treat heat exhaustion:  

1.      Help them to lie down in a cool place and raise their legs.

2.      Give them lots of water to drink or isotonic sports drinks.

3.      Check their breathing, pulse and responsiveness.

4.      Suggest they get medical advice. Call 999/112 if you are concerned.

Heat stroke is even more serious than heat exhaustion, and can be life-threatening.

How to spot heat stroke:  

These are the six key things to look out for:

1.      Headache, dizziness and discomfort.

2.      Restlessness and confusion.

3.      Hot flushed and dry skin.

4.      A fast deterioration in the level of response.

5.      A full bounding pulse.

6.      Body temperature above 40°C (104°F).

How to treat heat stroke:  

1.      Move them to a cool place and remove their outer clothing.

2.      Call 999/112.

3.      Sit the individual down and wrap them in a cool, wet sheet. If there isn’t a sheet available fan them or sponge them down with cold water to keep them cool. If available, use cold packs placed in the armpits and around the neck.

4.      Once their temperature seems to have gone back to normal, replace the wet sheet with a dry sheet.

5.      While waiting for help to arrive, keep checking their temperature, as well as their breathing, pulse and level of response.

6.      If they start getting hot again, repeat the cooling process to lower their temperature.

Whether you’re out in the park, or relaxing on the beach, it’s much better not to risk sunburn if at all possible. Try to avoid too much exposure to the sun by covering up with clothing, staying in the shade, especially when the sun is at its peak between 11am and 3pm, and applying high factor sunscreen (at least factor 30).

Most sunburn is mild, but in severe cases the skin can become damaged, turn lobster red and blister. It is also possible to develop heat exhaustion.

What to look for:  

1.      Reddened skin.

2.      Pain in the area of the burn.

3.      There may be blistering.

How to treat sunburn:  

1.      Cover the skin with light clothing and move them out of the sun.

2.      Give them cold water to sip.

3.      Cool the skin with cool water for 10 minutes.

4.      Apply calamine lotion to soothe mild sunburn.

5.      If there are blisters, advise that they see a healthcare professional.

6.      Treat any symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke and get medical help.

Dehydration happens when someone loses more fluid than they take in, especially if it’s really hot outside, so make sure you’re sipping lots of water at regular intervals. Children and babies may become more irritable in the hot weather and with babies it is also worth checking for wet nappies if you are worried that they are becoming dehydrated.

How to spot dehydration:  

There are four key things to look for if someone is suffering from dehydration:

1.      They may complain of headaches and light-headedness.

2.      Dry mouth, eyes and lips.

3.      Pass only small amounts of dark urine.

4.      Have muscle cramps.

How to treat dehydration:

1.      Help them to sit down and give them plenty of water to drink.

2.      Giving them an oral rehydration solution to drink will help replace salt and other minerals which they’ve lost – you can buy this in sachets from any pharmacy.

3.      If they have any painful cramps, encourage them to rest, help them stretch and massage their muscles that hurt.

4.      Keep checking how they’re feeling – if they still feel unwell once they’re rehydrated then encourage them to see a healthcare professional straight away.

If left untreated, someone with dehydration can develop heat exhaustion, which is more serious, so it’s important to make sure they rehydrate themselves as soon as possible.

Fainting is when someone briefly becomes unresponsive, often causing them to fall to the ground. It happens because for a moment, there is not enough blood flowing to the brain.

People often faint as a reaction to pain, exhaustion, hunger, or emotional stress. It is also common for people to faint after they have been standing or sitting still for a long period of time, especially if they’re feeling hot.

What to look for:  

1.      There may be a brief loss of response, often causing them to fall to the ground.

2.      They may have a slow pulse.

3.      They may have pale, cold skin and sweating.

How to treat someone who has fainted:

1. If possible, elevate their legs slightly using a stool, cushions or pillows. Make sure they get plenty of fresh air and ask other people to stand back.

2.     Reassure them and help them to sit up slowly, when they feel better.

3.     If they stay unresponsive, open their airway, check their breathing and prepare to treat someone who is unresponsive.

  • For more first aid advice visit www.sja.org.uk, or keep up with the latest St John news by searching #AskMe.