Australian quick reference
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke
How to recognise dangerous overheating and respond quickly.
The short answer
Heat illness can worsen quickly. Stop exertion, move the person to shade or a cool room and start active cooling. Call 000 for confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures, reduced consciousness, inability to drink, suspected heatstroke or failure to improve quickly. Give cool fluids only if the person is fully conscious and able to swallow.
Cool early · escalate early
Is this heat exhaustion or heatstroke?
Move the person out of the heat and start cooling now. Confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures or reduced consciousness mean heatstroke: call 000 and keep cooling.
| What you find | Do next |
|---|---|
| Alert, weak, dizzy, nauseated or clammy | Stop activity, move to a cool place, loosen clothing, cool with water and airflow, and offer small sips only if fully conscious and able to swallow. |
| Confusion, changed behaviour, slurred speech or poor coordination | Treat as heatstroke. Call 000, remove excess clothing and cool actively by the best safe means. Do not wait for a temperature reading. |
| Collapse, seizure, reduced consciousness or cannot drink | Call 000 and keep cooling. Give no drinks; place on the side if unconscious and breathing normally, or start CPR if not breathing normally. |
| Not improving quickly with cooling and rehydration | Call 000 and continue cooling while waiting. Stay with the person and keep checking response, airway and breathing. |
| Child 5 or under | Use a tepid bath, wet cloths and fanning rather than cold-water immersion. Escalate early for drowsiness, poor drinking, altered behaviour or worsening symptoms. |
Four things to remember
See the next decision
These visual cues are a memory aid. In a real emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and follow the call-taker's instructions.
Stop activity, move the person to shade or air conditioning and stay with them.
Heat exhaustion can cause weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, thirst, heavy sweating and cool or clammy skin.
Do not give drinks to a confused, drowsy, vomiting or unconscious person.
Call 000 for confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures, reduced consciousness, inability to drink, suspected heatstroke, severe worsening or heat illness that does not improve quickly with cooling.
Illustrated field notes
See the situation, then choose the next safe action
These original illustrations support recall. They are not a substitute for the written steps, a current first-aid course or the Triple Zero (000) call-taker.
Visual memory cue
See the pattern before you practise
Use this simple visual reminder alongside the written steps. In a real emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and follow the call-taker's instructions.
- 01Stop activityMove to shade or air conditioning.
- 02Cool activelyWet, fan and use the best safe method.
- 03Call 000For confusion, collapse, seizures or worsening.
- 04ReassessFluids only if alert; CPR for abnormal breathing.
01
What to do first
- Stop activity, move the person to shade or air conditioning and stay with them.
- Send for an ambulance early for confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures, reduced consciousness, suspected heatstroke or symptoms that do not improve quickly. Do not stop cooling while waiting.
- Remove or loosen excess clothing. Wet or spray the skin with cool water, fan continuously and use cool packs where available. For a person over 5, cold-water immersion from the neck down for up to 15 minutes is the most effective option when safe; for a child 5 or under, use a tepid bath, wet cloths and a fan.
- Give cool water or an electrolyte drink only when the person is fully conscious and able to swallow. Give no drinks to someone confused, drowsy, vomiting or unable to protect their airway.
- Keep assessing consciousness, airway and breathing. If the person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, call 000, start CPR and follow the call-taker.
02
What to avoid
- Do not give drinks to a confused, drowsy, vomiting or unconscious person.
- Do not wait for sweating to stop before treating serious heat illness; a person may still be sweating.
- Do not delay 000 while waiting to measure a temperature or while trying one cooling method.
- Do not leave the person alone or use aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol to lower heatstroke temperature without medical advice.
03
When to call 000
- Call 000 for confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures, reduced consciousness, inability to drink, suspected heatstroke, severe worsening or heat illness that does not improve quickly with cooling.
04
What to monitor
- Continuously reassess consciousness, airway, breathing and ability to swallow while cooling. Keep the person with someone until they recover or ambulance care takes over.
Recognition cues
What you may notice
- Heat exhaustion can cause weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, thirst, heavy sweating and cool or clammy skin.
- Heatstroke can cause confusion, changed behaviour, slurred speech, poor coordination, collapse, seizures or reduced consciousness.
- Serious heat illness can occur with or without ongoing sweating; the person may be hot, weak, confused or unable to drink.
Avoid these traps
Common mistakes
- Giving drinks to someone who is confused, drowsy, vomiting or unable to swallow.
- Waiting for sweating to stop or for a thermometer reading before treating dangerous symptoms.
- Cooling one small area but not continuing active cooling while waiting for an ambulance.
- Using paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen to lower a heatstroke temperature without medical advice.
Babies and children can become seriously unwell quickly. For children 5 and under, use tepid water, wet cloths and fanning rather than cold-water immersion, and seek help early for altered behaviour, drowsiness, poor drinking or worsening symptoms.
When help is on the way
Keep the handover useful
- Call 000 early for suspected heatstroke and keep actively cooling while waiting.
- Tell responders the heat exposure, activity, changes in behaviour, fluids given and cooling methods used.
Practise the pattern
Make it easier to remember
Common questions
Quick answers
What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke?
Heat exhaustion may cause weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache and clammy skin. Confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures or reduced consciousness suggest heatstroke and need 000 plus active cooling.
Should I give water?
Only if the person is fully conscious and able to swallow. Give no drinks to someone confused, drowsy, vomiting or unconscious.
What if the person is still sweating?
Do not use sweating alone to rule out serious heat illness. Treat confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures or reduced consciousness as emergencies.
How should I cool a young child?
For a child 5 or under, use a tepid bath or wet cloths and a fan. Do not delay 000 for serious symptoms or worsening illness.
What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke?
Heatstroke involves dangerous changes such as confusion, changed behaviour, collapse, seizures or reduced consciousness and is a medical emergency.
Should I give water?
Only give cool fluids if the person is fully conscious and able to swallow. Never give drinks to someone confused, drowsy, vomiting or unconscious.
Sharpened the heatstroke emergency branch, best-available cooling, safe-fluid boundary, age-specific cooling and sweating misconception against current Australian guidance.