Zach Martin, 17, collapsed during soccer practice in Fort Myers, Florida. temperature His temperature rose to 107 degrees and he was unresponsive and moaning when the ambulance arrived, according to his mother, Lori Giordano.
“I remember panicking at that moment,” Giordano said. “They were just assessing him and carrying him away.”
But what Giordano didn’t know was that The patient is overheatedThe national recommendation is not to rush the patient to the hospital. This is a technique called “cool first, then transport.” In this process, the patient’s body temperature is lowered again before transport to the hospital. This can save lives. However, only 11 states require ambulance services to follow this protocol.
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Zach died of organ failure 11 days after the collapse. Giordano believes her “gentle, kind and funny” son would have survived if he had followed the “cool first, transport later” approach.
“As a mother, it was really important to hear the first heartbeat on the ultrasound,” Giordano said. “I also heard his last heartbeat.”
What does “Cool first, serve later” mean?
Matt Willens is a paramedic who practices “cool first, move later” when treating patients with severe fevers.
The process begins with ice. Then, the patient is placed in a bag. The ice and water are filled, the bag is zipped shut, and one arm is extended so Willens can monitor the patient’s blood pressure. This impromptu ice bath allows the patient to cool down quickly, reducing the effects of the fever.
“Now we’re treating them on the ground and making that difference, and it could save their lives,” Willens explained. “It could save their lives.”
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The National Association of EMS Officials recommends this protocol when the patient’s temperature is greater than 104 degrees F. The patient should remain in the ice bath until the temperature drops to 102.2 degrees F. Then, they can be transported to the hospital.
Preparing for Fever in a Warming World
As climate change makes summers hotter, “cool first, then transport” is more important than ever. Dangerous heat wave hit the united states In 2024, excessive heat #1 cause of death due to weather In the United States. WorldwideHundreds of people have died this year due to rising temperatures.
Heat illnesses are likely to become more common. A study by the National Institutes of Health projects that cardiovascular deaths due to extreme heat will increase in the United States between 2036 and 2065. CBS News previously reported:Older adults and black adults are disproportionately likely to be affected.
Children too More vulnerable Extreme heat. More than 9,000 high school athletes, like Zach, are treated for heat-related illnesses each year.
After years of advocacy, Giordano worked with the Florida Legislature to pass a law requiring on-site ice baths at all outdoor high school athletic events. Known as the “Zachary Martin Act,” the law also requires schools to learn how to treat excessive heat, modify athletic activities based on temperature, and require coaches to complete annual training on how to identify and treat heat illness.
“If we can, if we can make that first response cool, that’s where lives are saved,” Giordano said.
Giordano said she won’t stop at high school. She wants every ambulance across the country to cool heatstroke patients on the spot.
“Everyone in this country experiences heat,” Willens said. “And this is the future of how we deal with these heat emergencies.”
David Schechter
