Management of Cold and Heat Exposure

(3 hours: basic, intermediate, paramedic levels)

Purpose: To Allow the EMT to update knowledge and skills utilized in providing care for patients exposed to the cold and heat.

Goal: To increase the EMTs knowledge in treating patients who are suffering from cold exposure and heat exposure.

Objectives: After attending the lecture EMTs will be able to:
1) Describe how body temperature is regulated, and how it responds to temperature changes.
2) List factors that contribute to various cold and heat conditions (physiologic and environmental)
3) Give a description of a person suffering from the various types/degrees of cold and heat exposure
4) Describe the treatment used for cold and heat exposure
5) To be more prepared to treat a person exposed to heat and cold.

  1. Introduction (5 minutes)

  2. Heat Exposure (75 minutes)
    1. Review of normal body temperature
    2. How the body sheds heat
    3. Factors that increase internal heat production
    4. Factors that increase heat absorption
    5. Factors that interfere with heat dissipation
    6. Factors that impair the body's response to heat stress
    7. Heat illnesses
    8. Prevention of heat illnesses
    9. Management of patient exposed to the heat
      1. Etiology
      2. BLS treatment
      3. ALS treatment

  3. Cold exposure (80 minutes)
    1. How the body loses heat
    2. Windchill factors
    3. How the body defends itself from heat loss
    4. Cold Injuries
    5. General cooling of the body
    6. People at risk
    7. The pathophysiology of cooling
    8. Immersion hypothermia
    9. Heart arrhythmias and hypothermia
    10. Preventing injuries due to the cold.
    11. Management of a patient exposed to the cold
      1. Etiology
      2. BLS Treatment
      3. ALS Treatment

  4. Review of MA State Prehospital Protocols- Environmental Emergencies (10 minutes)

  5. Summary (5 minutes)

  6. Questions and Answers (5 minutes)

    References: Emergency Care in the Streets, 4th Edition, Nancy Caroline
    Emergency Care and Transportation 5th Edition, by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
    Western Massachusetts EMS Prehospital Protocols