'Heat affects us': UNMC study to help first responders fight off heat illness
UNMC scientists expect extreme heat events to become longer and more frequent. That can be especially dangerous for people who work outdoors, like farmers or firefighters.
UNMC scientists expect extreme heat events to become longer and more frequent. That can be especially dangerous for people who work outdoors, like farmers or firefighters.
UNMC scientists expect extreme heat events to become longer and more frequent. That can be especially dangerous for people who work outdoors, like farmers or firefighters.
When an emergency call comes in, volunteer medic Jacob Blunt suits up, whatever the weather.
"Heat affects us just as much as our patients," said Blunt, who works with Elmwood Fire and Rescue.
In the heat of the moment, Blunt said, his own health is not always top of mind.
"We can be stubborn," said Blunt. "Unfortunately, first responders sometimes develop tunnel vision, like I gotta get this done, and I gotta get this done now."
However, cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death for on-duty firefighters in the US, and it can be a reaction to extreme heat or overexertion.
"We might forget to take that 5, 10, 15-minute break, to let our body recharge," said Blunt.
That is why UNMC scientists want to equip first responders like Blunt with heat monitoring devices, to remind him when a break could save his life.
"The goal would be to prevent all of those heat-related deaths that we can," said Dr. Aaron Yoder, an associate professor at UNMC’s College of Public Health. “Give them warnings before they start feeling sick.”
The devices, small enough to fit in your hand or clip on the inside of a uniform, monitor external, and environmental factors like heat, wind and humidity, along with internal heart rate. Their projects are partnerships with UNL’s Nebraska Transportation Center and UNO’s Informatics Lab.
As summers heat up, Yoder said, the prices for this technology are going down.
"That's our goal with this research search is to find out the most cost-effective way to do it,” Yoder said. “And that way, we get more people to adopt it."
When Blunt is battling blazes, he's wearing more than forty pounds of gear
"Even though maybe it has more layers of protection, it has more layers of heat, and it keeps that heat in, and our bodies have to adjust to it," Blunt said.
Our bodies struggle to adjust to sudden changes in temperature.
"We don't get acclimated to the heat as quickly," Yoder said.
While first responders are at the front of the line to test this technology, it could also protect everyone from athletes to people experiencing homelessness.
"If that were you or your loved one outside in this extreme heat, how would you want them to be treated?" said Nikki Sakas, street outreach coordinator with Heartland Family Services, who has seen people suffer from dehydration on the streets. "No, we don't have enough resources to cool them off."
Back in Elmwood, Blunt is eager to add a heat monitoring device to his uniform. He said it’s especially valuable for a rural, volunteer force, where every first responder counts.
“Losing one first responder to the heat emergency can really cause some serious issues for fighting fires," Blunt said. "I'm down and out, now I'm a burden, instead of being a resource."