By: MJ + PJ
This post outlines a few things we do for heat safety when we encounter hot environments. The advice comes from our various experiences – growing up in the Outback, hiking at altitude during Colorado summers, summer festivals in cities, camping in Wyoming, rail trail cycling, and walking around large archeological sites.
The first aspect of staying cool is knowing what heat impairment is and being prepared – the calm and calculated part of ‘keeping your cool’. You have to be aware of what risks or signs are evolving with your group in the current environment. Dehydration, exposure and heat stroke are not things you want to experience, but can be avoided with good preparation.
With this in mind, if you are going to be traveling in areas known to be hot (or any place or time actually!) it is a good idea to have a solid knowledge of first aid. Better still – obtain a first aid qualification. Some courses can be done online, but there’s nothing like doing one in person. Having a first aid qualification is one of those things you never really want to use, but if you do have it you’re in a better position to help… and survive.
The US first aid courses are fairly simple and only a few hours long. With few remote places and reliable emergency services, first aid training is quite basic. Heat safety or exposure may not always be covered in these shorter courses. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Australian first aid courses – it’s usually multiple evenings or a full weekend. This is because there are a lot of remote areas (and dangerous things!) and potentially hours before services can know you need help, let alone get to you.
The second aspect of “staying cool” is more literal. If you can avoid getting hot, do so. Prevention is always better than a cure! Hot environments can be very different – particularly in relation to humidity levels, air temperature and movement, and the effectiveness of shelters. Avoid peak sun hours – be outside when the sun is in low positions.
The following things we do to address the main causes of being too hot: not being hydrated, not having enough water, being exposed to direct and radiant heat, and not having a method of reprieve. Attending to one aspect does not create heat safety – you need to take a combination approach.
1. If you’re going to be in the heat all day, hydrate the afternoon and evening before. This means you’re ahead of the game when you wake up. The same approach is used in marathon running – hydrate the day before and only top-up during the race.
2. Start with at least 30% more water than you estimate you need. If you reach your destination and you have a lot of water left, then you have carried a load in the heat that was not necessary, added to risk, and/or held water that could have been shared. If it was because you were not drinking it, you have another problem.
3. Drink your water gradually and consistently. Tell (remind?) others in your group to drink their water the same way. If moving enough in the heat you may need up to one liter (one quart) per person per hour. That’s a lot to carry, so either don’t stay out long or diligently use known refill points.
4. Keep a mental note of where and when you last saw water, and how viable it appeared to be. If you run out of water then at least you have a potential nearby source. Carry a LifeStraw or a water filtration pump – both are light and small.
5. Wear water, but not your drinking water. We often start a hike or place with a soaking wet sunshirt and hat if other clean water is available. While sweat cools you, it does so at the expense of salt loss – get your sunshirt to do some of this work!
6. Carry a spray bottle that has a mist setting. This is a good way to reprieve yourself of heat via evaporation, without losing water in spillage to the ground. These cost a few dollars at most. Get a medium sized one at a minimum.
7. Add light colored lightweight layered clothing rather than remove clothing. Radiant heat from the ground and other surfaces can easily heat you more than from sunlight – even when in the shade. Buttons and zips allow for airflow control in well designed clothing. Although it may seem counterintuitive, moving slowly in long layered clothing sustains coolness more than moving faster in minimal clothing.
8. Wear sunglasses (sunscreen is always recommended on exposed skin, but it does not protect you from heat!) and light scarf to shield your face as needed. Squinting wastes energy if your whole posture changes, and can cause eye strain headaches.
9. Use an umbrella that reflects heat. A rain umbrella can shade or shield you, but the heat passing through the material can add a lot of radiant heat and then hot air gets captured under it near your head. This is one type of ‘portable shade’. Permanent and dense shade provides the best reprieve from hot environments.
10. Wear a hat or legionnaires hat/cap. Not a baseball cap, and not a sun visor. Wide brimmed hats shield your head, neck and shoulders, and reduce glare. Dark hats absorb heat, so stick with lighter colors. The best hats also have some ventilation means built into them, such as mesh, eyelets/grommets, or flaps.
11. Take breaks – even if it is just standing still for a few minutes. If you see shady areas, use them. If there is no shade, then shorten your plans and curb your ambitions. Rotate carried loads if possible, to reduce individuals being strained.
As you can see: heat safety is a combination of awareness, planning and behaviors. We had to attend to various combinations across different conditions and levels of remoteness when hiking in Zion NP, camping in Pennsylvania, walking the Mall in Washington D.C., and every day we were in Cambodia.
If you or someone in your group is showing signs of heat impairment as outlined in the CDC summary above, then you’ll need a plan ready – it’s first aid time, and cooling down is now the highest priority for the group.
Being in the heat and doing these things is never all roses and rainbows – it’s usually uncomfortable to some degree. You have to be vigilant and make good decisions. Manage heat the best you can and learn from what is happening to better cope in the future.
