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.
Factsheet: Heat Injury and Illness Prevention (pending update)
Training Slides: Heat Illness Risk Management (pending update)
Article: Are heat-related medical conditions among Soldiers rising?
(Mar 2022)
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.
- Since 2014, more than 1,500 Soldiers each year have developed a heat illness that required medical attention and/or lost duty time
- 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.
- Losing as much as 4% of body weight from dehydration can degrade physical performance
- Every 1% loss of body weight increases core temperature (0.10-0.23⁰C or 0.18-0.40⁰F), thereby 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 DCPH-A Heat Related Injury Reports
