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Heat Stroke Emergency Response

Hot, humid work can overwhelm the body's ability to cool down. Heat stroke is an emergency, and the right response is to call 911 immediately. This guide explains planning and prevention in general terms.

Why is heat dangerous on farms?

Farm work is often physical, outdoors and in hot weather, with limited shade or breaks. Hay season, harvest, greenhouse work and livestock handling can all raise heat risk. People who are new to the work, older, dehydrated, ill or taking certain medications may be at higher risk.

Heat illness can progress from mild symptoms to a life-threatening emergency. This article does not provide treatment steps. Official guidance from OSHA, NIOSH and the CDC covers heat illness and prevention.

Humid days, low wind and direct sun add to the risk, and so do hot enclosed spaces such as barns, greenhouses and cabs. Plan extra caution when several of these combine.

What should you do if someone may have heat stroke?

Call 911 immediately. Warning signs of a serious problem can include confusion, slurred speech, fainting, seizure, very hot skin or a person who seems very unwell. If you are unsure, call. The dispatcher can give instructions for your situation.

Do not leave the person alone. Make sure they are not in danger and follow the dispatcher's guidance. Official sources describe what to do while waiting, and training from recognized providers can show you how.

People returning from time off or new to the farm are often at higher risk during the first days of hot work. Build in a gradual start, as official guidance describes, rather than expecting full pace from day one.

• Call 911 for confusion, fainting or seizure.
• Do not leave the person alone.
• Follow the dispatcher's instructions.
• Tell responders what the work conditions were.

How can you plan for heat?

Make a heat plan before the season starts. Decide how you will provide water and shade, how work will be paced, when the hottest tasks will be done and how you will check on people. New and returning workers often need time to adjust, and official guidance describes how to approach this.

Check the National Weather Service forecast and heat alerts, and adjust the schedule when conditions are hot. Do not rely on memory for specific thresholds or rest schedules. OSHA, NIOSH and your state program publish current guidance, and some states have heat rules, so check with them.

Supervisors should model good habits by taking breaks, drinking water and speaking up about conditions. When the boss does it, crews follow.

What should crews know?

Everyone should know the signs of heat illness and feel safe to say something about themselves or a coworker without fear of penalty. Check on people working alone and use a buddy system where possible. Encourage workers to speak up about medications or conditions that may affect heat tolerance, and be mindful that some workers may not speak English as a first language.

Provide this information in languages your crew uses, and review it before the hot season.

Pesticide and chemical protective clothing can add heat stress, so consult the label and official guidance on how to work safely in both heat and protective gear.

• Learn the warning signs.
• Use a buddy system.
• Make speaking up safe.
• Share information in the crew's languages.

How can heat illness be prevented?

Provide cool drinking water and shade near the work, and encourage breaks before people feel unwell. Schedule heavy tasks for cooler parts of the day where possible. Consider clothing that suits the heat and protects from sun, and be aware that personal protective equipment for chemicals can add heat stress.

Watch livestock as well. Animals also suffer in heat, and a veterinarian or extension office can advise on shade, water and handling in hot weather.

Specific numbers for water, breaks and temperature come from official sources, not from this article.

What happens afterward?

Anyone who has had a heat emergency needs medical follow-up. Ask the clinician when it is safe to return to hot work. Review what happened and adjust the plan. If anyone is struggling emotionally, in the US people can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Hydration also depends on what people drink and eat. Ask a clinician or official sources about what is appropriate, especially for people with medical conditions, rather than guessing.

Hot weather also strains older farmers, so check on them often and share heavy work.

Where can you learn more?

The CDC and NIOSH publish heat illness information, OSHA provides agriculture and heat resources, and the National Weather Service issues heat alerts. Your extension office can help with local planning.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.