Camping and survival - Heat Exhaustion and Dehydration
A Southern Summer - watch out for the
Heat
Drink Water, and Enjoy the Day!


We are moving through spring, and soon will be
entering summer, and in the south, especially, we
must be aware of certain things. One of those is
dehydration and heat exhaustion.


Water is life - Without water, even if you are careful,
you will be in dire straits within 5 - 7 days. In the sun,
and without being careful, you can run dry in less than
one afternoon, and every year hundreds of people die
because they did not get out of the sun quick enough,
or drink enough water. Below are some of the things
to watch out for:

A 5 percent loss of body fluids results in thirst,
irritability, nausea, and weakness.

A 10 percent loss results in dizziness, headache,
inability to walk, and a tingling sensation in the limbs.

A 15 percent loss results in dim vision, painful
urination, swollen tongue, deafness, and a numb
feeling in the skin.

A loss greater than 15 percent of body fluids may
result in death.
The most common signs and symptoms of
dehydration are--

Dark urine with a very strong odor.

Low urine output.

Dark, sunken eyes.

Fatigue.

Emotional instability.

Loss of skin elasticity.

Delayed capillary refill in fingernail beds.

Trench line down center of tongue.

Thirst. Last on the list because you are already 2
percent dehydrated by the time you crave fluids.

If you stop sweating, GET OUT OF THE SUN, cool your
body down with wet cloths if possible and drink small,
steady amounts of water - be prepared to go to the
hospital.