Hydration, You’re Either a Hero or a Hemorrhoid

This session focuses on the health and safety of emergency crews when operating in hot environments. The temperatures can be anywhere from 70 degrees Fahrenheit to 120, the issues are the same.

With so much attention on firefighter health and wellbeing there has been a lot of effort on reducing the exposure to toxic materials at emergency incidents. Whether the scene is a hazardous materials event, or a residential fire, repeated exposure to toxins can cause long term diseases such as cancer. This presentation will focus on the need for proper hydration in the detoxification process as well as the importance of maintaining hydration to prevent after incident heart attacks and strokes.

In this session we will explore why the sauna is NOT an option for “sweating it out”, investigate hydration drinks and powders, talk about the sweating process, and how these issues influence the health and wellbeing of the first responder