BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — As the heat continues to rise, medical first responders offer instructions on what to do if someone becomes overheated.

The first piece of helpful advice is to remain out of the heat when possible and stay hydrated. 

“If you are outside and working, make sure to plan breaks,” said Kimmy Rheaume, an emergency medical dispatch with Med Center Health in Bowling Green. “Hydrate with water and sports drinks. Replenish the electrolytes you are losing.”

However, there are times when this does not necessarily prevent the body from becoming overheated. This could cause heat exhaustion and even cause a heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion can be treated by simply going to a shady spot and drinking fluids that are not too sugary.

A heat stroke, however, is much more serious.

According to Rheaume, the treatment is quite different from other milder heat-related conditions.

“We don’t want you to be drinking anything,” she said. “A lot of times with heat stroke you are unconscious, so we’re concerned about your airway. If they’re really sleepy or really lethargic, we don’t want to give something to drink because if they drink it, it could go into their lungs and we don’t want that damage to happen.”

The main difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke is sweat. If someone is sweating profusely and tired, they’re probably experiencing heat exhaustion.

Once the sweating stops, that is when a heat stroke is probably occuring. 

At that point, medical assistance is most likely needed.

Once medical assistance arrives, patients will be treated with intravenous fluids to put water into their system, as well as an oxygen tank to help with any potential breathing problems.