Basic HTML Version
Campus Review
July 16, 2012
Page 8
Heat Stress Information... for Keeping Cool this Summer
Boudell’s intern studying vegetation col-
lection and identification techniques.
Thiago Silva is an international student
from Brazil and a biology major at
Clayton State. He is a research student
studying plant communities and soil char-
acteristics.
Savannah Thompson is from Jonesboro,
Ga., and is a relatively new biology major
at Clayton State. She is assisting Mitchell
with soil sample processing.
Michael Hanft is another Clayton State
biology alumnus who is currently work-
ing at the Fernbank Museum. He has vol-
unteered with sampling in the field.
Jacobo, Boudell and another Clayton
State biology alumnus who previously
worked on the project, Serge Farinas, are
currently writing papers on the project.
Farinas, a native of Stockbridge, Ga., is
now a Ph.D. student at the University of
Michigan.
Boudell also reports on some preliminary
outcomes of the studied river characteris-
tics from her now four-year study, notably
that the Clayton County Water Authority
has improved river channel stability and
habitat.
“Their watershed approach to improving
water quality and habitat is more than
commendable,” she says. “Jesters Creek
has definitely improved; however, it is not
similar to its reference site Little Falling
Creek, and therefore does not meet the
technical standard required of `restora-
tion’ projects for the studied parameters.
“Ecosystem recovery occurs over the
long-term and therefore requires a long-
term study to track the progress of the
ecosystem as it recovers. Jesters Creek is
being monitored and our study comple-
ments the monitoring by providing an in-
depth, `under the microscope’ investiga-
tion of the project’s progress.”
Boudell also points out that, while restora-
tion is extraordinarily difficult for urban
streams, rehabilitation and improved
function are possible.
“We hope that our committed involve-
ment with this project over the long-term
will provide a rare peak at urban stream
recovery and will ultimately improve
restoration or rehabilitation of these
impacted streams,” she adds.
Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is the most serious heat-relat-
ed disorder. It occurs when the body
becomes unable to control its tempera-
ture: the body's temperature rises rapidly,
the sweating mechanism fails, and the
body is unable to cool down. When heat
stroke occurs, the body temperature can
rise to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can
cause death or permanent disability if
emergency treatment is not given.
Symptoms
• Hot, dry skin or profuse sweating
• Hallucinations
• Chills
• Throbbing headache
• High body temperature
• Confusion/dizziness
• Slurred speech
First Aid
Take the following steps to treat a
worker with heat stroke:
• Call 911 and notify their supervisor.
• Move the sick worker to a cool
shaded area.
• Cool the worker using methods
such as:
o Soaking their clothes with water.
o Spraying, sponging, or showering
them with water.
o Fanning their body.
Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is the body's response to
an excessive loss of the water and salt,
usually through excessive sweating.
Individuals most prone to heat exhaustion
are those that are elderly, have high blood
pressure, and those working in a hot envi-
ronment.
Symptoms
• Heavy sweating
• Extreme weakness or fatigue
• Dizziness, confusion
• Nausea
• Clammy, moist skin
• Pale or flushed complexion
• Muscle cramps
• Slightly elevated body temperature
• Fast and shallow breathing
SEEDS, cont’d, from p. 5
Heat Stress, cont’d. p. 9