Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke and Sunburn Warning!

Guys, whether you're regulars, semi-regulars, occasional visitors or first-time visitors, you'll want to use extreme caution now that it's getting really hot during the middle of the day. Use sunscreen, cover up as much as you can, and certainly rehydrate. Take a break from the sun by seeking shade at regular intervals. Heat exhaustion can sneak up on you and take you to a really scary place, where you don't know if you're going to be able to make it off the pier under your own power or if somebody's going to have to call 911 for you. ​

You'll want to apply HIGH SPF sunscreen to every area of skin exposed to the sun, with special attention paid to your sun-exposed extremities (ears, nose, etc). Definitely wear a cap, hat or other head covering to protect your face and scalp.

It's easy in a time of enthusiasm for a great fishing opportunity that you forget sunscreen or forget to rehydrate. Don't forget! I've had my own personal experience with heat exhaustion and I know that others on the pier have been plagued with skin cancers, heat-related issues and sunburn. Forgetting to take precautionary measures can be quite dangerous.

Enjoy the summer sun and enjoy the great fishing opportunities, but keep safety first!

I heartily endorse your post, Tom. I've been there where I can't catch my breath and the black spots start dancing in front of my eyes, and it was just like you said---the fish were biting great and I kept telling myself I'd take a break after one more cast. Had to call for the pier cart to come get me, and they took their own sweet time. Not a bit of fun, and it could have gotten a lot worse real fast.

Thanks for the reminder. We old farts need to be prompted from time to time since we slip into thinking we can still do the stuff we used to do thirty or forty years ago.

I third the motion. As a trained soldier in this subject, its often misunderstood. Hydration is the easiest and best way to combat overheating. Do not fall prey to assuming your fine when its hot or non windy condition whick sneek up on you when you least expect it. Haywire brings up an unfortunate reality. The cannot be counted upon to react in an expiditious way. An ounce of precaution is worth a pound of cure. Drink water evrn when ya dont feel like it. The Tee is a good shady area if you feel exaustion or light headness. Its worth it.

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Originally Posted by dasarge1953

I third the motion...Hydration is the easiest and best way to combat overheating.

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Fourth, with emphasis on hydration. After a trip to the emergency room last year for my AFIB I think I've finally absorbed that lesson.

I told my doctor I'm not afraid of dying, (I just don't want to be there when it happens) and he looked me in the eye and said "You don't want a stroke!"

Hydrate!!

Good post, Tom. Dealt with it at the fire dept, and deal with it daily more so at my post FD job, Health, Safety, Security at an aluminum smelter. We teach the new guys, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and in addition, good nutrition etc.

From Finchaser (Bob) FB page:

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net...3a&oe=5D966A8E

LOL

Got dehydrated back in April form not taking enough breaks to drink something when the Spanish bite was so good. I didn't collapse but did get sort of weak feeling. Came back to bite me when a kidney stone went for a tube ride at 2:40 am. Painful lesson learned. There was a young redhead in the ER that looked like a boiled crab. She kept saying that she was only out there for one day with no sunscreen and that she wanted to go back home with a tan.

Age caught up with me last year. Passed out 2 x's due to heat last year.

Learned my lesson.

You don't want to see this at your pier
Attachment 7365

Thanks anyway for the reminder as I will be bringing my 74 yo father this next weekend and he is a stubborn as I am.

Being a 9-1-1 dispatcher we are already dealing with this type emergency, regularly and get a bit stubborn with my own care.

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Originally Posted by chillinfish

There was a young redhead in the ER that looked like a boiled crab. She kept saying that she was only out there for one day with no sunscreen and that she wanted to go back home with a tan.

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My fair-skinned bride thought she had sunscreened on day 4 of our honeymoon, but did not reapply. A week of immobility and a month of pain followed. After 39 years, the phrase "some day we'll laugh about this" has not kicked in. And don forget that it only takes 1 sunburn to increase risk of skin cancer; she's had numerous lesion removals and biopsies.