Illustrated First Aid Guide - Marcia Wendorf [4]
8. If water rises around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground.
Heat Waves
High heat and humidity prevent the body from cooling itself through evaporation. People living in urban areas are at greater risk from a heat waver because asphalt and concrete store heat longer and only gradually release it at night.
What to Do During a Heat Wave:
1. Stay indoors in air conditioning if possible. Without air conditioning, stay on the lowest floor out of the sun, use a fan to circulate the air and use wet cloths to cool yourself down.
2. Try to spend the hottest part of the day in an air-conditioned place, such as a library, movie theater or shopping mall.
3. Check on family, friends, neighbors and especially the elderly if they don’t have air conditioning. Refer to Heat and Cold for first aid procedures for heat-related emergencies such as heatstroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps.
4. Drink plenty or water, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
5. Avoid alcoholic beverages, they cause dehydration.
6. Never leave children or pets alone in a vehicle.
7. Wear loose-fitting, light colored clothing. Light colored clothes reflect the heat and sunlight.
8. Protect your face and heat by wearing a broad-brimmed hat, and avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are defined as having winds in excess of 74 miles per hour. As they near land, they bring along with them torrential rains, high winds, flooding and storm surges. All U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal regions are subject to hurricanes, and August and September are the peak months of activity.
What to Do During a Hurricane:
1. Listen to radio and television for hurricane watches and warnings. Hurricane watches are generally issued between 24 and 36 hours before expected landfall.
2. Make sure your car(s) have a full tank of gas and review evacuation routes.
3. Secure outdoor items such as patio furniture and children’s toys.
4. Board up windows or tape them to reduce the risk of broken glass.
5. If evacuating, turn off utilities at the main valves or switches, and make sure you have several days’ worth of water and food for each household member.
6. If remaining, take refuge in an interior room, closet or hallway, and stay indoors away from windows and glass doors.
7. Close all interior doors and secure or brace exterior doors.
8. In a multi-story building, go an interior room on either the first or second floor and stay away from windows.
9. If the hurricane is severe, lie on the flor under a table or other sturdy object.
Tornados
Tornados generally occur east of the Rocky Mountains and the months of March through August are generally considered tornado season.
What to Do During a Tornado:
1. If you are at home, go to the lowest level of the building, such as the basement. If there is no basement, go to an interior room, closet or hallway.
2. Get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a table or desk, and hold on to it.
3. If you are outdoors, leave your vehicle and either lie in a ditch or low-lying area, or else crouch near a strong building.
4. If you are at work or school, avoid taking shelter in places with wide-span roofs, such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways, or shopping malls.
Tsunamis
Tsunamis are caused by undersea disturbances, such as an earthquake, that cause a series of waves to propagate outward in all directions. Those most in danger are people living less than 50 feet above sea level and within one miles of the coastline. While most tsunamis are less than 18 feet, tsunamis in excess of 100 feet have been recorded.
What to Do During a Tsunami:
1. Listen to radio or television for tsunami warnings, and if advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
2. Do not go to the shoreline to watch. The water may initially recede from the shore before roaring back, and more than one giant wave is possible.
Volcanic Eruptions
A volcano is an opening in the earth’s crust down to the molten rock underneath. During