/
Thursda) July 24, 2014
N/Warren Town and County News
Page Eleven
Agricultural
Summer temperatures that are cooler than normal
have been a welcome change across much of'the Mid-
west this year, but we will soon return to "dog days of
summer." When temperature and relative humidity lev-'
els climb, it is important for wdrkers and employers to
prevent heat illness. Heat illness can begin suddenly and
includes conditions ranging from heat rash and heat
cramps to heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat-
Workers Can Beat the Heat
perature. The higher the relative humidity, the less eas-
ily the body can cool itself naturally through evapora-
tion of sweat from the skin. Workers should take pre-
cautions to prevent heat illness when the Heat Index
reaches 91 F and above.
Dehydration, wllich limits the body's ability to regu-
late temperature th:ough sweating. Drinking alcohol,
caffeine and sugary beverages can contribute to dehy-
Heat exhaustion is a condition that results from'ex-
posure to high temperature or high heat index condi-
tions. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy
sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, fa-
tigue, weak rapid pulse, muscle cramps ("heat cranaps"),
dark-colored urine and cool damp skin with goose
bumps. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can lead to
heatstroke.
stroke, dration. - If you or a cow0rker experience symptoms of heat
Anyone who engages in strenuous physical activity Wearing dothing that doesn't allow sweat to evapo- . exhaustion, get the person to a shady or air-conditioned
during summer months when temperature and humid- rate. Too man clothes or clothing that is tight or dark area. Have them lie down with their legs elevated and
ity levels produce high heat indices is at risk for heat colored can prevent cooling through sweating. Chemi- loosen the clothing. Provide cool fluids (not alcohol or
illness. Those who have not acclimated to working in
the heat or who have returned to work after being away
from it for a week or more are at greater risk of devel-
oping heat illness. Workers in agriculture, construc-
tion, trades, utilities, landscaping and building and
grounds maintenance are among those at most affected
by heat illness.
What circumstances lead to heat illness?
High temperature and humidity, or "Heat Index."
The Heat Index, sometimes referred to as the apparent
temperature, is a measure of how hot it feels when rela-
tive humidity is factored in with the ambient air tem-
Exhibition of artwork and photography
by Bruce A. Morrison
Our "natural heritage" is a constant focus in the art
work of Bruce Morrison. Whether it depicts the land-
scapes of the tallgrass region, or its flora and fauna;
"From the Tallgrass" is the road traveled the past couple
decades for the artist. And if you were to. spend any
time with him, it would appear this will continue in-
definitely as a chosen path. "I couldn't think of a more
suitable focus and recurrent theme for my work," says
Morrison.
As painter and photographer, Bruce has been im-
mersed in the prairie and our heritage derived @om this
environment for quite some time. As the artist describes
it-
"This ecosystem is perhaps the most endan-
gered and vanishing ecosystem in North America - cer-
tainly in the center of our continent. In my home state
of Iowa, there is ohly an estimated 1/10th of one per-
cent of original prairie habitat remaining. From a state
where prairie once dominated to only a fraction of one
percent today - that is startling!"
From this ecosystem were born a mix of cul-
tural heritage - first the Native Americans who lived,
farmed, hunted, raised families and died here. The cor-
ner of the NW Iowa county in which I live and work
has over 80 known sites of early native cultures - one of
which is the only "known" remaining ancient agricul-
tural plot/site in the state of Iowa - just three miles from
my studio! The t'qative Americans benefitted from the
tallgrass ecosystem and thrived in it!
The cultural heritage of my forefathers - the
settlers of the prairie, also benefitted from what the prai-
rieprovided - the best soil in'the new world and land as
far as the eye could see. This state now experiences the
best.agricultural !and in the world! We too, have ben-
efitted from the tallgrass prairie. Our heritage, natural
and cultural, has shaped-our lives here; they cannot but
help to present the subject matter and inspiration I now
patiently follow each day."
The artist follows his interest and focus in his daily
life as well; living on a small piece of prairie remnant,
he and his wife, Georgeann, have worked to bring back
the native habitat through careful stewardship of their
prairie home. The landscape is a favorite subject in the
artist's photograph)5 paintings and drawings, and many
ofthe artist's works have been published in regional and
international periodicals and calendars.
Bruce is an annual participant in the NW Iowa Arti-
sans Road Trip and exhibits out of his year-round stu-
dio/gallery whiclq he and GeQrgeann converted from a
brooding house/sheep barn; much of which was recon-
structed from original structural materials - a unique
usage of theoriginal agricultural building on their acre-
age farm site.
The exhibit will feature canvas prints of drawings and
paintings of, or relating to the prairie, as well as prairie
related photography. The majority of the work will be
tagged with QR coding so exhibit goers can see more in
depth information relating to the artist's work. Th6
artist's book "From the Tallgrass" will also be available
" at the Prairie Point Bookstoreat the Neal Smith National
Wildlife Refuge. "From the Tallgrass" will be showing
at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge near Prairie
City through August 21.
cal protective dothing that protects the skin from harm-
ful substances can also hold in the heat and prevent
evaporative cooling through sweating.
Low fluid intake that doesn't make up for liquids
lost through sweating
Heavy physical labor or exertion
No recent exposure to hot workplaces
Working in direct sunlight
Working in enclosed areas with no air movement
where the heat index inside can exceed that outdoors
(e.gl, grain bins, hay mows)
Know the signs and symptoms and how to treat them " personality changes, or coma. Other symptoms may
Late Summer Afternoon
Prairie Lily
caffeine) and moisten their skin with cool wet cloths,
water spray, or a cool bath or shower. Seek medical at-
tention if symptoms last longer than one hour or if the
person has heart problems or high blood pressure.
Heatstroke (sometimes called sunstroke) is a life-
threatening condition that requires emergency medical
treatment to prevent damage to the brain and internal
organs. Heatstroke can develop within 10 to 15 minutes
when body temperature reaches 104 F or higher. The
main indicators of heatstroke are elevated body tem-
perature and changes in mental state, such as confusion,
include rapid pulse, dizziness, fainting, nausea, throb-
' bing. headache, irritability, seizures, elevated or low
blood pressure and rapid shallow breathing. Skin may
be hot and dry due to cessation of sweating, or damp,
especially after exertion.
Heatstroke can be fatal! If you see someone with
signs of heatstroke, call 911 and move them to a shaded
or air-conditi0ned area. Cool the person by soaking
their clothing in cool water, applying dampened cloths
to the skin, or spraying them with cool water. Provide
sips of cool water or sports drinks - but only if they are
able to swallow without difficulty - until emergency
responders arrive.
P1/m ahead to prevent heat illness
Heat illness is preventable by following these steps:
' Check with your doctor to determine if you are, tak-
ing medications that may make you more susceptible
to heat illness.
Acclimate to hot conditions over several days,
gradually increasing the amount of time working in the
heat Re-acclimation is necessary after being away from
working in the heat for several days.
Wear loose-fitting clothing that is lightweight and
light in color. Loose-fitting lightweight clothing helps
sweat evaporate to cool the" body Light-colored cloth-
ing does not hold in the heat as much as dark-colored
clothing.
Protect yourself from sunburn. Wear hats with wide
brims and use sunscreen on exposed skin.
Schedule work for early morning or evening hours,
when possible.
Stay hydrated. Start drinking cool fluids before work-
ing and continue to drink regularly, up to several times
an hour, even before you experience thirst. Drinking
about a quart of water or sports drink every hour will
help your body sweat and regulate temperature. Avoid
alcoholic beverages.
Take frequent breaks in the shade or air-conditioned
areas. Make a point to drink plenty of fluids during your
breaks.
Work with a partner or buddy and monitor each oth-
ers' condition. Confusion and disorientation are symp-
tom of heat illness that may prevent someone from rec-
ognizing they are at risk. Monitor your coworkers and
employees for signs of heat illness. Remind coworkers
to drink frequently and take breaks. Report any symp-
toms early.
Use the free Heat Safety Tool App for smartphones
to calculate Heat Index risk and determine protective
measures to prevent illness.
For more information on preventing heat illness, con-
tact the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health
(GPCAH) at CPH-GreatPlainsCenter@uiowa.edu or
319-335-4405.
Summer Along
Angler's Bay. Photos submitted.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared July as
National Ice Cream Month~ citing the food's "nutri-
tious and wholesome" qualities. He decreed that
patriotic Americans should ~mark the month w!th
"appropriate ceremonies and activities:'
