Heat emergencies commonly occur at athletic events and practices. If the patient is in a cold-water immersion bath upon your arrival, do NOT remove the patient unless the temperature has normalized to between:

• A. 101 F and 102 F
• B. 98 F and 100 F
• C. 104 F and 106 F
• D. 95 F and 97 F

Answer: (A)

The key idea is rapid cooling of exertional heat stroke and stopping cooling only when the patient’s core temperature has nearly normalized. Cold-water immersion is the fastest way to reduce core temperature, and you should continue cooling until the core temperature is about 38°C (roughly 101–102°F). That range indicates the body has reached a safe, near-normal temperature, reducing the risk of ongoing hyperthermia while avoiding overcooling that could lead to hypothermia or shivering-driven rewarming once you remove them. If you stop earlier, the person may remain heat-stressed (temperatures still well above normal); if you wait longer, you risk overshooting and cooling too much. The other ranges shown would either still be too hot or already too cool.