Photo By Chief Petty Officer Joseph Rullo | CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti – Camp Lemonnier (CLDJ) Safety Officer, Navy Lt. Rich King,...... read more read more
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CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - One word comes to mind when service members describe the dry weather conditions in the Horn of Africa - hot. These arid conditions can hinder early morning runs, outdoor activities and can effect overall health.
Average high temperatures in the region can range from 84 degrees Fahrenheit (F) during the months of December, January and February, to about 104 F during the months of July and August.
While being stationed in this near-equatorial climate, service members must still maintain physical readiness requirements. This presents an opportunity for heat related injuries, which can impact the mission and the health of those who serve here.
According to the Manual of Naval Preventive Medicine, heat stress and heat strain have immediate effects, and may have long-term effects. The immediate effects are a significant loss of performance, efficiency and loss of duty time due to heat injury.
The Camp Lemmonier Expeditionary Medical Facility head of preventive medicine, Navy Lt. Michael Barea, said that heat stroke can be deadly if not treated quickly and properly. With hot weather approaching, it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat injury and how to seek treatment.
“The best treatment is prior planning and preparation,” Barea said. “It is important to stay well hydrated in this austere environment and to limit outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day, as well as adhere to flag conditions.”
Camp Lemonnier’s Safety Officer, Navy Lt. Rich King, has responsibility for helping people stationed here know when it is too dangerous for outdoor physical training (PT). King said there is a Department of Defense-wide system which provides information to lessen the physical effects of excessive heat.
“To help mitigate heat-related injuries, the Navy had elected to regulate outdoor physical training through the use of four different flag conditions,” King said. “The use of these flag conditions accounts for both temperature and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index.”
The WBGT is a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account: temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover (solar radiation).
Four colored flags; green, yellow, red and black, provide visual guidance to personnel to determine the level of outdoor activity that is allowed.
The green flag is the least restrictive and signifies a WBGT index of 80 to 84.9 F. Outdoor physical activity can be conducted with caution under constant supervision.
The black flag condition is the most restrictive and indicates a WBGT index of more than 90 F. At this condition, all strenuous outdoor PT that is not essential to mission accomplishment will be stopped.
King said that as summer was approaching, the number of heat related injuries increased. And, that despite the soaring temperatures, the heat flag conditions didn’t necessarily tell the whole story.
“We decided to dig in to the WBGT index,” King said. “What was discovered was the WBGT index is a formula where 70 percent of the temperature is based on humidity.”
King said that the average humidity in Djibouti varies widely depending on which direction the wind comes from. When the wind comes from the east, where the ocean is located, the humidity can vary from 40-70 percent. When the wind comes from the desert, which is in the west, the humidity levels range from 5-15 percent.
“Because the WBGT is highly dependent on relative humidity for its number, when our winds are from the west and the temperatures increase, the flags become inaccurate,” King said.
King said that after conversations with Naval Safety Center and Naval Medicine, the command came to the conclusion that a change to the flag system at Camp Lemonnier would be recommended to mitigate heat related injuries on base.
“Our standard here is more restrictive than the current guidelines are,” King said.
King said that in the last week of June here, the WBGT temperature was 131 F, but the relative humidity was only 7.2 percent. He also said that the outdoor air temperature was 111 F, but using the WBGT formula, the system read as only 87 F.
At this WBGT temperature reading, the base would only be at a yellow flag warning and that strenuous outdoor exercise would only be restricted for those who are un-acclimated in their first two to three weeks here.
King said this scenario happens at least three to four times per week during the summer months.
“It’s ultimately about the safety of the folks at Camp Lemmonier,” King said. “That’s why we made the change.”
Currently, Camp Lemonnier has one WBGT device on base. However, another device is scheduled to be installed near the turf field.
Camp Lemonnier is one of Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia, installations that conducts six lines of operations to support air operations, port operations, safety, security, quality of life, and what is called the core: the fuels, water and power that keep the bases operating.
Camp Lemonnier’s mission includes enabling joint warfighters operating forward and to reinforce the U.S. – Djibouti relationship by providing exceptional services and facilities for the tenant commands, transient U.S. assets and service members.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2018 03:37 |
| Story ID: | 283784 |
| Location: | CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ |
| Web Views: | 378 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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