What is the first thing you should do if you suspect heat stroke?

When dealing with a suspected case of heat stroke, it is critical to act quickly to prevent serious health consequences, including organ damage or death. The first priority is to move the victim to a cooler environment. This action helps lower the person’s core body temperature, which is essential in the treatment of heat stroke.

Heat stroke occurs when the body overheats and is unable to cool itself effectively. By relocating the victim to a cooler place, you provide an immediate and necessary step to mitigate further heat-related stress on their body. Cooling the environment around the victim is the most effective initial response, as it allows for other cooling measures, such as applying cold packs or other cooling methods, to be administered in a safer and more effective manner afterward.

Other options like giving ice chips could compromise the victim's ability to swallow, especially if they are disoriented or unconscious. Placing someone in a warm environment would exacerbate the problem, and applying cold packs to the head alone may not significantly reduce the overall body temperature effectively, especially if the rest of the body remains exposed to heat. Overall, moving the victim to a cooler location is the foundational first step in addressing the medical emergency of heat stroke.