Managing medical and environmental emergencies

dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies (preparedness, response, and recovery). The aim is to reduce the harmful effects of all hazards, including disasters. All the hazards can be in many forms like fluid, gas, substance, etc.

illnesses or injuries that require immediate medical attention. While not usually providing long-term or continuing care, emergency physicians undertake acute investigations and interventions to resuscitate and stabilize patients.  
Not all medical emergencies are life-threatening; some conditions require medical attention in order to prevent significant and long-lasting effects on physical or mental health.

Blood
Children
Endocrine
Environmental
Eyes
Gastrointestinal
Genitourinary
Heart and blood vessels
Infectious disease
Inflammatory

Injury
Lungs and airway
Nervous system
Pregnancy
Psychiatric
Skin
Toxicological
Gynecologic

Environmental
Accidental hypothermia
Frostbite
Heat illness
Drowning
Electric shock 

bodily fluids, by means of the wearing of nonporous articles such as medical gloves, goggles, and face shields. 

Universal precautions were the infection control techniques that were recommended following the AIDS outbreak in the 1980s. Every patient was treated as if infected and therefore precautions were taken to minimize risk.

Universal precautions were designed for doctors, nurses, patients, and health care support workers who were required to come into contact with patients or bodily fluids. This included staff and others who might not come into direct contact with patients.

Universal precautions were typically practiced in any environment where workers were exposed to bodily fluids, such as:
Blood
Semen
Vaginal secretions
Synovial fluid
Amniotic fluid
Cerebrospinal fluid
Pleural fluid
Peritoneal fluid
Pericardial fluid
Feces
Urine

heat than it absorbs. In humans, it is defined as a body core temperature below 35.0 °C (95.0 °F). Symptoms depend on the temperature.

tissues. The initial symptom is typically numbness.

Swelling or blistering may occur following treatment. The hands, feet, and face are most commonly affected.

(1) Skin without cold damage is normal

(2) Frostnip is mild frostbite that irritates the skin, causing redness, prickling and a cold feeling followed by numbness. Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin and can be treated with first-aid measures.

(3) Superficial frostbite, your skin feels warm, a sign of serious skin involvement. A fluid-filled blister may appear within 24 hours after rewarming the skin

(4) Deep frostbite. Numbness, joints or muscles may no longer work. Large blisters may form a day or two after rewarming. Afterward, the area turns black and hard as the tissue dies.

stop heat therapy. If skin remains white and hard or turns black or purple, go to the Emergency Response.

to heat.

(104 °F) due to environmental heat exposure with lack of thermoregulation. Symptoms include dry skin, rapid, strong pulse and dizziness.

Heat exhaustion - Can be a precursor of heatstroke; the symptoms include heavy sweating, rapid breathing and a fast, weak pulse.

Heat cramps - Muscle pains that happen during heavy exercise in hot weather.

Heat edema is a cutaneous condition characterized by dependent edema from vasodilatory pooling. Heat causes the blood vessels to expand (dilate), so body fluid moves into the hands or legs by gravity.

Heat syncope - Fainting or dizziness as a result of overheating.

Heat rash - Skin irritation from excessive sweating.

Heat tetany - Usually results from short periods of stress in intense heat. Symptoms may include hyperventilation, respiratory problems, numbness or tingling, or muscle spasms

and heat stroke. These illnesses are all directly related to the air temperature and relative humidity that a person is exposed to while working. 

process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid.

Generally, in the early stages of drowning, very little water enters the lungs: a small amount of water entering the trachea causes a muscular spasm that seals the airway and prevents the passage of both air and water until unconsciousness occurs. 

Active drowning
Instinctively, people in such cases perform well-known behaviors in the last 20–60 seconds before being submerged, representing the body's last efforts to obtain air. Notably, such people are unable to call for help, talk, reach for rescue equipment, or alert swimmers even feet away, and they may drown quickly and silently close to other swimmers or safety

Dry drowning
Drowning in which no water enters the lungs.

Wet drowning
In which water enters the lungs.

Passive drowning
People who suddenly sink or have sunk due to change in their circumstances. Examples include people who drown in an accident, or due to sudden loss of consciousness or sudden medical condition

the patient can have severe external burns.
Some patients can suffer from cardiac arrest after an electric shock/ lightning strike.
The burns which the patient experiences from electric shock are often severe at the site of contact with the electrical source and the ground. Common points of contact are hands, head and heels.
Other than burns, injuries can occur from forceful muscular contraction due to which the patient is thrown clear from electrical source. In such cases, patient may have a spinal injury.
If the patient is having shortness of breath, pain in the chest or abdomen, then it may indicate internal injuries.
Pain with deformity of the hand or foot or other body part can indicate a possible fracture resulting from extreme muscle contraction from the electric shock.
Children who suffer from electrical mouth burn, as a result of biting an electric cord, have a burn on the lip which has a red/ dark, charred appearance.
Patient who has experienced electric shock should be examined for entry and exit marks to help assess the extent of the electric shock.

Signs & Symptoms Of Electric Shock

jaw that does not ease with rest
Breathlessness
Discomfort, like indigestion in upper abdomen
Collapse, with no warning

Sudden dizziness or faintness
Pale skin or blueness of lips
Rapid, weak or irregular pulse
Profuse sweating
Extreme gasping for air (air hunger)

be able to move his arms on one side of his body
Speech problems

There may also be :
Sudden weakness or numbness along one side or both sides of body
Sudden blurring or loss of vision
Sudden difficulty understanding the spoken word

Sudden confusion
Dizziness, unsteadiness of a sudden fall

Sudden severe headache with no apparent cause

nerve cell activity in the brain becomes disrupted, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of consciousness.

Symptoms :
Temporary confusion
A staring spell
Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs
Loss of consciousness or awareness
Psychic symptoms