Thread: Scenario Reffing Manual : Heat and Adrenaline

Scenario Reffing Manual : Heat and Adrenaline
Author : Mike "Aerion" Curtis with contributions as noted.
April 1, 2009

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Copy under construction

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Paintball is a sport often played in warmer weather. As with any active sport in warm weather, there is a chance of heat injury. Heat injury is defined as physiological damage to the body as a result of the body being overheated. Our normal method of cooling our bodies is by perspiration. As we sweat, the moisture we produce evaporates and caries excess body heat with the evaporating fluid.

Dehydration is not in of itself a heat injury, but it does usually accompany heat injuries and exacerbates heat injuries as it results in the body losing it's ability to reduce heat.

There are three recognized heat injuries:

1. Heat Cramps
2. Heat Exhaustion
3. Heat Stroke

HEAT CRAMPS
Cramps are the least serious form of heat injury. They may not be serious, but they are PAINFUL!! Heat cramps result not from overheating itself, but from the loss of electrolytes as a result of sweating. Stretching and massaging the area can relieve minor heat cramps, but only temporarily. If you or a player start experiencing heat cramps, the best treatment is to rest, drink lots of fluids - particularly fluids containing potassium (gatorade, cranberry juice, orange juice). Also helpful are some fruits like bananas and peaches.

HEAT EXHAUSTION
Heat exhaustion itself is not serious except that it your body warning you that it's time to slow down. A person experiencing heat exhaustion will feel tired and a bit giddy, kind of like being a little drunk. They may often act hostile, emotional or erratic. They will also usually be moving noticeably slower. The treatment for heat exhaustion is to get the person to rest someplace cool. Also drink lots of fluid (but not alcohol) and relax!! While not really serious itself, if left untreated, it will result in the very serious condition of:

HEAT STROKE
Heat stroke is a very serious, potentially fatal heat injury. The body has gotten so hot that normal body functions are shutting down. Brain damage is occurring. Death is immanent! Heat stroke must be treated promptly and by trained medical personnel. Symptoms of heat stroke are very hot skin, the absence of sweat and usually unconsciousness. The person my also have nausea or vomiting. Convulsions are also common. Treatment for heat stroke is to quickly cool the person off by whatever means possible and call the ambulance! If a patient stops breathing or loses their pulse, administer CPR.

Do not ever attempt to give an unconscious person anything to eat or drink as they may aspirate it into their lungs and suffocate.


Adrenaline and Paintball
Paintball is a very active sport. A big part of the thrill of the game is the adrenaline rush we get. Also running around itself tends to increase adrenaline. This is all good though adrenaline does cause changes in peoples behavior that must be recognized and often dealt with.

Adrenaline is an important part of a person's survival instincts. Many of you may remember discussions in school about a person's "Fight or Flight" instincts when danger approaches. This is the essence of what adrenaline does for our bodies. It suppresses higher brain functions and encourages more basic reactions. In short, we abandon any subtlety and either fight off our attacker or flee from danger. In paintball, it is the aggressive tendencies that needs to be managed by refs.

A person who has just run 100 yards and bunkered an opponent will undoubtedly have elevated adrenaline and may react aggressively when you try to tell them that they were eliminated 20 feet before the they got to the bunker. They may shout or react in another beligerent reaction. This reaction is not excusable. People on adrenaline are still responsible for their actions. But the point is for you to recognize the issue so you can react accordingly.

The best way to handle a person on adenaline is with calmness. Shouting back or replying in kind will only continue to elevate the person's adrenaline. Calmness, will have the opposite effect. Lastly, remember that adrenaline passes fairly quickly - usually after a minute or so. Once the adrenaline passes, the person will be a lot calmer and will react more rationally. So the trick is to not take the reaction personally, remain calm and make certain the person doesn't react aggressively against other players. One the person calms down, you can deal with them rationally.

Bump since my edit above didn't.

^ damn good verbals sir. if you are still thinking, try and list the most common heat or adrenaline related situations you have witnesses @ a paintball event. (6 to 10 examples) -- I think examples help the refs see this isnt fluffy bunny skim over it material, but real world, likely to happen, better read every word stuff material.

btw: omnicool is a EMT and firefighter -- love some commentary here