TEMPERATURE CONTROL IN HOT WEATHER

Often times we think of what it would take to survive in a "cold water" distress situation. We all know what hypothermia can do to us. Our body's "core" temperature is lowered to a point that interferes with our normal bodily functions. Slowly, our organs shut down, and "the dominos begin to fall."

How about survival in hot weather? Have you given any thought to that situation? Remember, our bodies do well in moderate temperatures. When we reach the extremes, whether hot or cold, the environment takes its toll on us. Hot weather is the same enemy as cold weather. It's just at the other end of the spectrum.

The differences between the impacts of cold and hot weather are fairly straightforward. In cold weather, we lose body temperature. In hot weather we increase our body temperature. It starts with a loss of fluids is through perspiration, the body's natural defense against a hot environment. In hot conditions, perspiration aids in cooling the body's surface.

Once the temperature gets above of the normal range, our bodies begin to dehydrate, due to the fluid loss from perspiration. At some point, the body's normal "temperature control" system begins to fail. Our body temperature begins to rise, causing malfunctions in our organs, and even brain damage.

As in the case of all afflictions from the elements, there are well-founded procedures that can be employed to prevent being overcome by extreme heat conditions. They are universal and they work.

The first thing is to stay out of the sun. We are all aware of the damage done by sunburn. In addition to dehydration and a rise in body temperature, sunburn can effect our skin, our largest organ. That's right, our skin is an organ. It is the biggest of them all. When the rays of the sun overcome your skin, a type of shock results, just as it would from any other trauma.

The effects of the sun cause the most common problems that we encounter in hot weather. Generally, we are not sufficiently exposed to the heat to advance the condition any further. We can keep out of the sun by remaining under our "Bimini" top when we're on our boats. If we are in a survival craft or a lifeboat, we can use the canopy provided to afford us some shade.

Dehydration is another problem. Our bodies use perspiration to cool the surface of our skin. A byproduct of perspiration is dehydration. As perspiration escapes and evaporates, our bodily fluids are slowly but surely depleted. We don't always have enough fluids to drink to replace the amount lost through perspiration.

It stands to reason that we would like to reduce the loss of bodily fluids in hot weather conditions. If we don't have sufficient water to drink, what can we do? One thing that we can do is to wet our clothing. That will keep our skin wet and will serve the same purpose as perspiration. The difference is that we can substitute perspiration with our wet clothing, thereby not losing as much body fluid.

Taking any steps to keep us in contact with cooler surfaces will aid in our defense against heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Think about these issues on the next hot day!

Until next time, I wish you clear skies, fair winds, and calm seas!