I thought that it would be good to share with fellow Fishos some first aid tips…
How do you treat a heat stroke victim?
Victims of heat stroke must receive immediate treatment to avoid permanent organ damage. First and foremost, cool the victim.
· Get the victim to a shady area, remove clothing, apply cool or tepid water to the skin (for example you may spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose), fan the victim to promote sweating and evaporation, and place ice packs under armpits and groins.
· Monitor body temperature with a thermometer and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F (38.3-38.8°C).
· Always notify emergency services (995) immediately. If their arrival is delayed, they can give you further instructions for treatment of the victim.
How can heat stroke be prevented?
· The most important measures to prevent heat strokes are to avoid becoming dehydrated and to avoid vigorous physical activities in hot and humid weather.
· If you have to perform physical activities in hot weather, drink plenty of fluids (such as water and sports drinks), but avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tea which may lead to dehydration.
· Your body will need replenishment of electrolytes (such as sodium) as well as fluids if you sweat excessively or perform vigorous activity in the sunlight for prolonged periods.
· Take frequent breaks to hydrate yourself. Wear hats and light-colored, lightweight, loose clothes.
Lighting Struck
Most people killed or injured by lightning are outside doing recreational activities such as fishing, boating, swimming, or playing sports. Others are working outdoors at construction jobs. Farmers are often struck, too.
Lightning Strike Causes
Injury from a lightning strike may occur in any of these ways:
· Direct strike: Lightning directly strikes a person.
· Contact strike: A person is touching an object (such as a tree or pole) that has been struck by lightning.
· Side splash: Lightning jumps from the primary strike object on its way to the ground.
· Ground strike: Lightning strikes the ground and the current spreads out in a circle from that spot.
· Blunt injury: A person is thrown violently from the lightning strike or from the explosive force that occurs as surrounding air is superheated and rapidly cooled.
· Upward streamer: When a low-energy electrical charge streams upward to meet a downward leader, it may carry enough current to cause electrical injury even if it does not connect with the downward current to complete the lightning strike.
Lightning Strike Symptoms
A person struck by lightning may have immediate cardiac arrest. In others, you may see no outward signs of injury. Some people may lose consciousness for varying periods. They may seem confused and not remember what happened. Lightning may even flash over the outside of a person, blow off their clothes, and leave few obvious signs of injury.
Lightning may cause numerous other injuries:
· Heart damage or cardiac arrest may occur.
· Up to two-thirds of the seriously injured people struck by lightning have keraunoparalysis-a temporary paralysis unique to lightning strike.
· Victims may experience superficial burns. Contrary to common belief, deep burns are rare. They occur in fewer than 5% of lightning injuries.
· Various types of broken bones and dislocations may be caused by lightning.
· Skull fractures and cervical spine (neck) injuries may result from associated blunt trauma.
· Lungs may be damaged, causing shortness of breath.
· Eye injury may cause immediate visual problems or delayed cataract formation.
· The eardrum is commonly ruptured. This causes pain, hearing loss, and dizziness.
When to Seek Medical Care
Call emergency services to transport a person for any of these reasons:
· Any period of unconsciousness
· Paralysis
· Chest pain
· Shortness of breath
· Back or neck pain
· Obvious deformity of an extremity such as an arm or leg indicating a possible broken bone
· Any noticeable burns
Lightning Strike Treatment – Self-Care at Home
Start CPR immediately on any person who is not breathing and does not have a pulse. Call 995 for emergency medical services. Instructions for doing CPR can be given over the phone by the 995 dispatch center.
Any person suspected of being injured by lightning should be evaluated in a hospital’s emergency department, even if injuries are not obvious.
Prevention
The following tips may help you avoid being struck by lightning. Lightning may occur well in front of or behind a thunderstorm.
· Avoid being outside in open spaces during thunderstorms. If you hear thunder, you are in range for a lightning strike. You need to seek shelter immediately if you are outside. Lightning can travel 10-12 miles ahead of a storm and seem to come out of a clear blue sky.
· Take cover from storms, avoiding the highest elevation areas and tall objects.
· Do not carry or hold tall metal objects during thunderstorms. Drop any golf clubs, fishing poles, or baseball bats. Remove metal objects such as a baseball helmet.
· If lightning has struck the immediate area, remember that lightning can strike the same place twice.
· If you cannot find shelter, crouch down in a catcher’s stance. Put your hands on your knees or place them over your ears to protect against hearing damage from thunder. If other people are with you, stay 15 feet apart.
· A fully enclosed metal vehicle such as a car or school bus can be a good shelter. Close all windows and do not touch anything metal connected to the vehicle. A golf cart is not a suitable shelter. Heavy equipment operators may stay inside the machine’s closed canopy, but do not step out to seek shelter.
· Even if you are inside a building, close all windows and stay away from them. Do not use the land-line telephone or electrical appliances including computers. Lightning may strike outside lines and travel inside.
· Wait at least 30 minutes after the last observed lightning strike or thunder before you venture outside your sheltered area.
· The simple safety slogan of the National Lightning Safety Institute is this: If you can see it (lightning), flee it (take shelter). If you can hear it (thunder), clear it (stop your activities).
Fish stings
As fast as you can ,put your foot or wherever the sting is into a bowl of water as hot as you can bear.Bear and wait untill it stops hurting.
Jellyfish stings
Pour vinegar over the sting to prevent further stings ,then pick off any bits of tentacle off using tweezers or gloves.Note!:Freshwater may cause tentacle to continuously stinging and sticking to you!!
Sea urchin spines
If the spines stick deep into you and break off ,it will be very hard to get them out and the best solution is to see a doctor! Hot water or local anesthetic ointments will help to stop the pain untill you get to the doctor!
Worm Bristles
If you get small bristles on your hands from animals like bristle worms ,you can sometimes get them out by laying Elastoplast over them and then pulling off.
CPR
1. CALL
Check the victim for unresponsiveness. If there is no response, Call 911 and return to the victim. In most locations the emergency dispatcher can assist you with CPR instructions.
2. BLOW
Tilt the head back and listen for breathing. If not breathing normally, pinch nose and cover the mouth with yours and blow until you see the chest rise. Give 2 breaths. Each breath should take 1 second
3. PUMP
If the victim is still not breathing normally, coughing or moving, begin chest compressions. Push down on the chest 11/2 to 2 inches 30 times right between the nipples. Pump at the rate of 100/minute, faster than once per second.
CONTINUE WITH 2 BREATHS AND 30 PUMPS UNTIL HELP ARRIVES:
Note: This ratio is the same for one-person & two-person CPR. In two-person CPR the person pumping the chest stops while the other gives mouth-to-mouth breathing.
CPR Source : Learn CPR
Monster mystery: Azhar Alias, 27, and his brother showing the location in Tasik Kenyir where the giant fish has been sighted.