Seriously, it’s not a joke it really is hot out and it’s only going to get worse if you pay attention to world events and follow the weather patterns.
A recent article from the NY Times states “At large events all over the world, the scenes of extreme heat stress are starting to look familiar. Older men, shirts undone, lying down with their eyes closed. Aid tents packed with the unconscious. And lines of the faithful — whether they seek religion, music, ballot boxes, or sport — sweating under slivers of shade.”
“The consequences have been dire. At this year’s hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, at least 1,300 people died as temperatures surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. And in many ways, that heavy toll was just the latest sign that crowd control and heat waves fueled by climate change are on a dangerous collision course.”
Like the NY Times or not, the weather is changing and getting more extreme the world over, and Emergency Services organizations need more and better tools to help those in need.
Enter ColdVentures LLC, the makers of ColdVest, a California-based company dedicated to protecting everyone who works and plays outside from the ever-increasing threat of heat stroke and heat-related death. ColdVest is the only heat stroke treatment device that is portable, requires no ice or refrigeration, and stays cold for over an hour.
As a Heat-Stroke survivor, I can appreciate the features it offers:
• no ice, no freezing, no refrigeration
• portable and easy to transport
• fast and easy to deploy
• no special storage requirements
• no external power required
• stays cold for up to one hour
I was deep in the jungle when I suffered Heat Stroke but many more people suffer it daily in public or near public places and events during summertime. Concert Festivals, the beach, sporting events, Military operations and training, and more, all could benefit from having ColdVest available to save lives.
The Basics:
ColdVest is a portable endothermic cooling blanket that can reduce core body temperature by up 9°F in half an hour.
ColdVest is activated when the chemicals (urea and ammonium chloride) react with water.
Cooling Vest Dimensions: 850 mm x 750 mm (33.5” x 29.5”)
Weight (dry): 3.4 kg (7.5 lbs.)
Fluid Bag Dimensions: 430 mm x 200 mm ( 7” x 8”)
Weight: 150 g (0.33 US lbs.)
ColdVest Carry Bag
Dimensions: 500mm x 200mm x 25mm
Total Weight: 4.3 Kg
In Conclusion
I met an Ensign when I was a US Navy contract Instructor who is also a heat-stroke survivor. Students and Staff gravitated towards this young officer due to his obvious leadership and compassion about those around him. He was assigned to the schoolhouse while he waited for his Medical Board results due to his severe heat-stroke incident during Military Training. I can’t help but wonder if his career could have been saved if a ColdVest had been available prior to EMS arriving. All the elements were there, a remote location with extended EMS response time, extreme environment and event, severe dehydration, all common factors that ColdVest helps to mitigate.
He and I were lucky, every year many more are not so lucky but ColdVest can help.
Garfield out.
