Stay safe, stay hydrated

Photo By Pfc. Brendan Roethel | The summer months in the Lowcountry mean high heat and humidity during long daylight hours. Physical activities become more strenuous and exhausting with every degree and can result in injury when people are negligent.  

BEAUFORT, SC, UNITED STATES

06.24.2015

Story by Cpl. Brendan Roethel 

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

BEAUFORT, S.C. - The summer months in the Lowcountry mean high heat and humidity during long daylight hours. Physical activities become more strenuous and exhausting with every degree, and can result in injury when people are negligent.

Without sufficient water intake, many heat injuries can occur. People can become light-headed, dizzy, faint and in a worst case scenario, death can occur.

“Staying hydrated, especially as the climate begins to increase and during physical activity, is crucial,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Premel Price, a corpsman with Station Medical aboard MCAS Beaufort. “Service members should drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day, and more with increased heat and physical activity.”

If people do not remain hydrated, they are more susceptible to heat related injures such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, said Price.

Heat cramps are the mildest form of heat injury and consist of painful muscle cramps, and spasms that occur during or after intense exercise and sweating in high heat.
Heat exhaustion is more severe than heat cramps and results from a loss of water and salt in the body. It occurs in conditions of extreme heat and excessive sweating, without adequate fluid and salt replacement. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body is unable to cool itself properly and can progress to heat stroke.

Heat stroke, the most severe form of heat illness, occurs when the body is overwhelmed by excessive heat. It is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical attention.

“Medical personnel have seen an increase in the number of heat exhaustion cases because service members are not hydrating properly,” said Price. “It is easily avoidable, and if not taken seriously, it can lead to greater health and safety concerns.”

Remain safe this summer and hydrate regularly.

• Date Taken: 06.24.2015
• Date Posted: 06.25.2015 11:31
• Story ID: 168085
• Location: BEAUFORT, SC, US