National Preparedness Month at Edwards

  • Published
  • By Daven Solis
  • 812th Civl Engineer Squadron Emergency Management Flight

Your 812th Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management Flight is at the Base Exchange from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Tuesday-Thursday throughout National Prepardeness Month. Please stop by to win trinkets from the Spin-the-Wheel game, enter a raffle to win an emergency preparedness kit, or get free emergency management literature.  Everything is free and you may see a giant bee roaming around too.

Here is your National Preparedness Month tip for staying hydrated.

Summer is upon us and that means high temperatures. Edwards AFB has an average temperature of 100 degrees in July and 98 degrees in August. Temperatures regularly soar past 110 degrees requiring all personal to stay hydrated.  The amount of water needed by a person varies on temperature and the person’s activity.

A good rule of thumb is if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.  The recommended daily intake of water is 3.7 liters (125 ounces) a day for men and 2.7 liters (91 ounces) for women. Drinking eight, eight- ounce glasses of water a day is not enough and is a misconception not supported by scientific research.

Symptoms of dehydration include: headache, decreased comfort, tiredness, confusion, dizziness, less urination and seizures.  As water loss increases symptoms become more pronounced and severe. 

Two conditions caused by dehydration warrant immediate attention: Heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Heat exhaustion occurs when the human body begins to overheat. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and cool, moist skin. Loosening clothing, staying in a cool place and drinking water are effective treatments.

Heatstroke is a more serious condition when the human body is unable to cool itself. Immediate medical attention is required. Symptoms include high body temperature, lack of sweat, racing heart rate, rapid breathing and flushed skin. Doctors will treat the patient utilizing various methods to lower body temperature.  Proper hydration prevents heat exhaustion from turning into heatstroke and everyone should try to stay hydrated.

As always, check out more helpful tips at www.beready.af.mil.