Preventing Heat Exhaustion During Protests

They make SPF70? O_O 50 is the highest I've seen up here.

I wear rayon in the summer.

Originally Posted by mko

They make SPF70? O_O 50 is the highest I've seen up here.

I wear rayon in the summer.

Apparently. A hair on the pricey side, but not too bad. I'll bring it along on the 10th if anyone needs.

Originally Posted by anonymousmedic

Your best bet on this is to get with a local ambulance company and see if they can provide a volunteer EMT for the event. Anons giving out medicine, even over the counter, is bad juju. (This is why you sign a release for your kids at school, or a first aid release at work). If someone has a reaction, or gets sick, they could hold you legally responsable for it. Also, I would avoid asprin, just for the simple fact it has diuretic qualities in moderate doses (I.e. Makes you urinate more), and it can be unsafe to give in people who have a high body temperature. (Reye's Syndrome)

Doesn't the Good Samaritan law/act protect a person not a medical professional who gives medical assistance in good faith (in some sort of emergency, or vaguely urgent situation)?

Originally Posted by JackD

Doesn't the Good Samaritan law/act protect a person not a medical professional who gives medical assistance in good faith (in some sort of emergency, or vaguely urgent situation)?

Fixed. Aspirin for headache = non-emergency.

Oh, okay.

Also, ditto on sunblock.
I'm still peeling from the 4/12 protest.

Creds: I am a card-carrying volunteer Outdoor Emergency Care anon. I live in Phoenix, and have lived in worse places for suffering heat exhaustion.

Download this chart, which shows you the same thing as wind chill, but for heat and humidity. They combine and gang up on you

Heat Index Charts
Or this one:
NWS Pueblo, CO

The humid areas will have more of a problem than Phoenix: When it's 105° and the relative humidity is 5% it's easy to evaporate sweat enough to stay cool ... as the humidity rises, you evaporate less sweat and you don't get the cooling effect. I would rather be in Phoenix in May at 105° than Atlanta in August at 95°

What to wear:
HATS!!!! A lightweight straw cowboy hat, anything with a full brim.
Lightweight, longsleeved, loose cotton shirts.

What to Drink:

Anything alcoholic = EPIC FAIL because it increases urine output and you dehydrate.

Ordinary soft drinks = EPIC FAIL because their sodium content is higher than the sodium content of your body fluid, and they are loaded with caffeine and you dehydrate. Not so epic if you have them heavily iced and drink the dilute stuff and the melted ice too.

"Energy drinks" = FAIL! Not so epic, but if they have caffeine in them you can OD on the caffeine trying to stay hydrated. Caffeine comes labelled as "guarana" and a host of other names to disguise it.

Electrolyte replacement drinks = Win as long as they don't have caffeine.

WATER = WIN!!!! +5 internets to you.

Water + Electrolyte drink + ice = EPIC WIN!!!! and +7.43 internets.

How much to drink:

Don't wait until you feel thirsty. By then you are a quart low. If you plan to be there for 4 hours, bring 4 quart/liter bottles and drink one an hour.

Here's an example of how much water you will need: In Phoenix in late May, if I am working in the yard before noon, staying mostly in the shade of the trees, I will drink about a quart of water an hour.

A roofer working in the sun will drink 4 times that much - and pour more onto his shirt.

Originally Posted by AwfulnonymousBosch

SCHEDULE YOUR PROTESTS FOR THE LATE AFTERNEWN

Possible Epic Fail

That's the hottest time of the day in most places.

If you can, schedule it for when your side of the street will be in the shade of something, like a building. Or trees.

Bring umbrellas for portable shade.

Originally Posted by anonymousmedic

A water spray bottle is a great alternative.

Definitely. Tour groups in AZ hand the usual spray bottles out and tell the visitors to keep misting themselves. the evaporaiton sucks out a lot of heat.

It is less useful in high humidity areas, but it's worth a try. And cheap!

Plain old tap water is just as effective as the $$$ tinted fancy brands made from unicorn sweat. The important thing is quantity.

Clearwater is debating morning til 1pm marches and 1-~4pm lulzparty in our park (heavily shaded, paved/cool ground) for caek/pizza.

Might be a good schedule to consider for other areas.

Originally Posted by Owner

In the coming summer months this is definately going to be a problem.

Dehydration can be cured in the field, but sun burns are going to be a big problem. I think we're going to need some sunscreen and water anons for the coming protests.

Don't just wear a mask, wear a scarf/hat. Cover your neck and arms.
It might be a little hotter under there, but its better than skin cancer. Drink extra water.

Personally I've found a shemagh works really well.

How to wear a shemagh - Airsoft Canada

You can buy or make one, they're just 46x46 inch pieces of cloth.

Yay fellow airsofter! But seriously, drink water, just don't over do it. I personally experienced a team member who sucked on a camel pack all day during a mid-july airsoft game, overhydrated and upchucked all over my shoes. Not fun. Especially since we were 40 min from civilization.

Originally Posted by TsuDhoNimh

Bring umbrellas for portable shade.

That's a good idea for southern states during the summer.

To expand on it, a light colored umbrella + a thick sharpie = combo umbrella/protest sign.