Heat Illness Prevention & Sun Safety

Heat Illness

Heat illness refers to a spectrum of conditions (e.g., heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke).

Heat illness occurs when the body cannot compensate for increased core temperature due to environmental heat and/or metabolic heat produced by physical exertion.

Click banner to learn about the types of heat illnesses

Heat Illness Impacts Readiness

Heat illness is a threat to individual health and to military operational success

1. Since 2014, each year more than 1,500 Soldiers have developed a heat illness that required medical attention and/or lost duty time
2. Heat illnesses were responsible for more than 20,500 lost/limited duty days in 2017

Heat illness and dehydration can significantly degrade performance and increase core body temperature

1.  Losing as much as 4% of body weight from dehydration degrade physical performance
2. Every 1% loss of body weight increases core temperature (0.10-0.23⁰C or 0.18-0.40⁰F) increasing risk of a more serious heat illness

Click banner to view Exertional Heat Illness video on YouTube  

Link to video on milTube, with captions (CAC required)

Click banner to view APHC Heat Related Injury Reports