

Control measure
Prevent and manage heat illness in personnel

Control measure
Prevent and manage heat illness in personnel
Control measure knowledge
If heat illness is suspected, medical advice should be sought.
The effects of heat stress can be prevented or managed by:
- Moving the person to a cool environment
- Removing personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Providing external cooling
- Rehydration by drinking cool, still water
Faints (syncope) may be prevented if the person lies down with their legs raised above the level of their head.
Refer to National Operational Guidance: Performing rescues – Failure to assess, identify and treat life-threatening problems of the casualty
Strategic actions
Ensure that personnel have access to the means for preventing or managing heat illness
Tactical actions
Request medical advice if heat illness is suspected
Provide personnel with the means to prevent and manage heat illness
TRAINING SPECIFICATION
Knowledge and understanding
Control measure element | Learning outcome |
---|---|
Prevent and manage heat illness in personnel |
Understand:
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NOS knowledge and understanding
You need to know and understand: | |
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You need to know and understand: 2258 |
|
K
The roles, responsibilities, limitations and capabilities of personnel and other agencies K
The range and type of resources available at incidents, their capabilities and limitations K
Dynamic risk assessment and associated health, safety and welfare issues K
How to anticipate needs and requirements of the incident and of the personnel involved in its resolution |
|
Lead, monitor and support people to resolve operational incidents |
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K 4
The roles, responsibilities, limitations and capabilities of personnel and other agencies K 6
The range and type of resources available at incidents, their capabilities and limitations K 9
Dynamic risk assessment and associated health, safety and welfare issues K 11
How to anticipate needs and requirements of the incident and of the personnel involved in its resolution |
|
You need to know and understand: |
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K
Hazards and risks of the workplace affecting people and the environment K
How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others in the workplace K
How to make and apply decisions based on the assessment of risk |
|
Health and Safety. |
|
K 1
Hazards and risks of the workplace affecting people and the environment K 2
How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others in the workplace K 3
How to make and apply decisions based on the assessment of risk |
|
You need to know and understand: 2920 |
|
K
Hazards and risks of the workplace affecting people and the environment in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K
How to make and apply decisions based on the assessment of risk in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K
How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others during fire and rescue operational incidents K
How to recognise and support people in distress K
Personal protective and operational equipment used in fires and other operational incidents including their capabilities, limitations and safe use |
|
Health & Safety |
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K 1
Hazards and risks of the workplace affecting people and the environment in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K 2
How to make and apply decisions based on the assessment of risk in relation to fire and rescue operational incidents K 3
How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others during fire and rescue operational incidents |
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Personal and Interpersonal |
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K 9
How to recognise and support people in distress |
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Technical |
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K 12
Personal protective and operational equipment used in fires and other operational incidents including their capabilities, limitations and safe use |
|
Health and safety |
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K 1
Hazards and risks of the workplace affecting people and the environment in relation to search, rescue and casualty care operations K 2
How to make and apply decisions based on the assessment of risk in the case of search, rescue and casualty care operations K 3
How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others during search, rescue and casualty operations |
|
Personal and Interpersonal |
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K 7
How to communicate with the range of people involved in search, rescue and casualty care K 9
How to recognise and support distressed people K 10
Lines and methods of communication and reporting during search, rescue and casualty care K 11
Roles, responsibilities and limits of authority of yourself, others and other agencies during the course of search, rescue and casualty care operations |
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Technical |
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K 13
How to select and use appropriate personal protective and operational equipment during search, rescue and casualty care K 16
How to identify and preserve evidence including deceased and fatalities K 18
How to prioritise casualties K 19
How and when to provide immediate medical care K 21
Protocols to determine the status and removal of the deceased |
Practical application
Control measure element | Learning outcome |
---|---|
Request medical advice if heat illness is suspected |
Demonstrate the ability to:
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Provide personnel with the means to prevent and manage heat illness |
Demonstrate the ability to:
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NOS performance criteria
You must be able to: | |
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Review and determine incident status 2236 |
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P
Confirm risks and implications for personnel, for the community and for the wider context P
Anticipate likely future resource needs including consideration of possible escalation of incident P
Anticipate risks to health, safety and welfare and ensure adequate and timely control measures are implemented P
Provide information to other agencies to assist with their decision making |
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Review and determine incident status |
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P 6
Confirm risks and implications for personnel, for the community and for the wider context P 7
Anticipate likely future resource needs including consideration of possible escalation of incident |
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Assume responsibility and implement action to support those involved in the incident |
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P 13
Anticipate risks to health, safety and welfare and ensure adequate and timely control measures are implemented P 16
Provide information to other agencies to assist with their decision making |
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Plan action to meet the needs of the incident |
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P 1
Collect information relevant to the known and anticipated risks to people, property and the environment P 4
Develop your objectives through risk assessment P 6
Develop action plans that provide sufficient flexibility to meet the known and anticipated needs of incidents |
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You must be able to: |
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P
Develop your objectives through risk assessment P
Make decisions that continue to minimise risk and maximise progress towards your objectives |
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Implement action to meet planned objectives. |
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P 9
Make decisions that continue to minimise risk and maximise progress towards your objectives |
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Respond to fire and rescue incidents |
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P 3
Establish risks affecting fire and rescue incidents in line with your organisation’s risk assessment procedures P 5
Operate within appropriate risk control measures in line with your organisation's procedures P 6
Use resources, equipment and personal protective equipment at fire and rescue incidents in line with their limitations, safety and operating instructions |
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Respond to fire and rescue incidents 2889 |
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P
Operate within appropriate risk control measures in line with your organisation's procedures P
Use resources, equipment and personal protective equipment at fire and rescue incidents in line with their limitations, safety and operating instructions P
Report anything which may adversely affect people's safety to others in line with your organisation's procedures |
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Support people involved in an operational incident |
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P 9
Report anything which may adversely affect people's safety to others in line with your organisation's procedures |
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Conduct a search for life |
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P 8
Work with others to protect casualties from further harm in line with your organisation's procedures |
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Rescue life involved in incidents |
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P 10
Rescue life within your designated area in line with your organisation's risk control measures |
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Provide treatment to casualties |
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P 12
Prioritise casualties according to their signs and symptoms in line with your organisation's procedures P 13
Select equipment which can be effectively used to provide treatment and operate it in line with its limitations, safety and operating instructions P 14
Administer aid to minimise further injury and suffering in line with your agreed limits of authority, responsibility and expertise P 15
Give treatment to support the stabilisation of casualties' condition in line with your role, responsibilities and level of expertise P 16
Provide support to casualties in a way which promotes calm and reassurance P 18
Give information to relevant others about the treatment casualties have received in line with communication procedures |
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Support people involved in an operational incident |
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P 19
Provide support to others at the incident in ways which promote calm, compassion and consideration for others P 20
Restrict the view of the incident to avoid additional suffering in line with your organisation's procedures |
- HazardHeat illness in personnel
- HazardHypothermia in personnel