Risk Management Magazine

I never gave much thought to off-duty safety. For me, it was just something I always had to hear about before being released for a long weekend. The message was always the same: Have a plan, wear your personal protective equipment (PPE), take a buddy, and on and on and on. Fortunately, I eventually got the message — but it nearly cost me my life.

As a National Guard CH-47 company, we are always subject to possible call-up for state and national emergencies or deployments overseas. When Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast, we found ourselves being called on like never before.

Military training in the heat impairs physical performance and can lead to the development of heat-related illnesses, which impact over 2,500 uniformed personnel each year. Heat illnesses range in severity from heat exhaustion (least severe) to exertional heat stroke (EHS) (most severe).