Operation Climate Iraq

Operation Climate Iraq began today. This operation seeks to keep contractors in Iraq aware of the heat and the need to drink plenty of water. Water is the key to staying cool and in fit condition for work. The humidity in Iraq is low and this helps, but usually by 10:00 am temperatures are over 100 degrees and will hit at least 120 by 14:00 hours.

Climate Iraq means wearing lose clothing so that the sweat your body produces can work its magic in keeping your body cool. If you wear tight clothing, then the evaporated water cannot run over the skin as it should to help keep you cool.

Climate Iraq means you are aware of you salt intake. Salt is important in storing the water your body needs to produce the sweat it needs to keep you cool.

How do you know if you are well hydrated? Go to this website. It gives several color charts and how much water one should be drinking as they work throughout the day. When going on R and R, or leaving the base for any reason, always have two to three bottles of water with you.

Some bases will have ice available. This is always a refreshing treat. However, if the ice supplies are low, then the soldiers have first priority. Sometimes I think this is unfair because we were working outside while the soldiers were sitting inside in the comfort of the A/C.

Know your limits. Know those of your people. Know the signs and how to treat for heat exhaustion.

This website gives information on heat exhaustion.

If someone around you suffers from heat exhaustion get them to shade quickly or inside a cool building. Run cool water over them if necessary. Loosen or even remove their clothing. Fan them with something. These simple steps may help you save a life or even your own.

Also proper diet and exercise will help build up your strength against heat exhaustion.

The mental effects of being in this kind of heat can be quite uncomfortable. Once I was on a plane for two hours in Iraq that had no a/c.

Another time I sat for four hours in a humvee with no a/c or even a breeze. What I had to do was force myself to believe that I was back home in the pool. I had to even sing to myself and when I could, I would sleep. A book helps to keep one’s mind off the heat as well.

So you may want to add a couple of hand held fans to your water supply for a trip. After my first experience, I bought two of these to take back with me. They really helped me get through the heat this time.

In one case, a guy got so hot that he started throwing up on the plane. At least the barf bags were handy. I remember once I had to use one while in the Army. We had an alert and went for a plane ride in a C-130. Up and down and all around, probably done on purpose by the pilots. Any way I barfed in my bag. Others tried to show how manly they were and swallowed their vomit.

Climate Iraq covers four seasons. During the winter months of December to January there can be a lot of rain with it tapering off in Feb and March. April things begin to warm up quite a bit and by June it is hot. July is hotter and August sure feels hotter. But in late August the temperatures start to drop. They hover around 100 degrees. Finally by late October early November, life is bearable again and you start to feel you will survive.

The thunderstorms will be loud and intense. You have probably never experienced the same type of thunderstorm in the United States or Europe. Everything shakes. Sometimes you think it is incoming mortars. And the lightning has a wicked spidery look to it. And sometimes it will hail. Sometimes during these storms you feel like you are Dorothy on the Wizard of Oz and your hooch is fixing to take off or the tent is fixing to go flying.

In Climate Iraq, A/C is available. It becomes a part of you. When your A/C unit skips a beat, so does your heart. If it breaks down and you cannot get someone out to repair it quickly, especially in your room, then you are in for a long rough night. I always keep a fan for just in case—I would still be uncomfortable if my A/C unit died but at least the fan would help some.

In Climate Iraq it is important to keep your ECU clean. Environmental Control Unit which is the A/C unit and a heat unit combined. Clean that filter once a week. I have entered many rooms where the ECU was not working very well. I always check the filter first and usually it is clogged. The problem enhances if the filter was not cleaned. This causes the dirt to adhere to the coil. The coil is harder to clean and in some cases maybe too late.

The military and civilian contractors learned that the ECUs must have monthly maintenance when units started breaking down almost faster than they could be fixed. So keep that filter clean and service the unit once a month by cleaning the outside with a water hose.

In Climate Iraq you will need a coat. It does get cold in the desert. I have seen ice and snow in the desert. I have seen people come without a coat and cold weather hat and freeze while they did their job and waited for home to send them a coat.

In Climate Iraq the wind blows. When the wind blows the dust moves in huge clouds that will block out the sunlight and turn the sky into an orange haze. When possible in this condition stay inside. When possible make sure doors and windows are sealed as tightly as possible. When possible wear a dust mask and goggles.

I was not aware of the dangers of dust storms. During my first dust storm in 1991 in Saudi Arabia I walked around with nothing on my eyes and mouth. The next day I had a chest cold caused by the dust. My eyes felt like sandpaper. I learned the hard way to prepare for Operation Climate Iraq.

In Climate Iraq, ragweed runs rampant in late summer and early fall. I can always tell it is late summer or early fall because my eyes will start to water constantly. My nose is fine but my eyes look like I was drinking or crying all night long. For about six weeks I can hardly see. Even as I type this they are bothering me.

So be prepared for Climate Iraq. It is hot, dry, cold, wet, windy and dusty. It is a terrorist of its own. You can survive if you are properly prepared.

Check list for Operation Climate Iraq: Nose spray

Eye Drops

Goggles

Gloves, cold weather and work

Lotion

Cold weather coat with hood/waterproof

Scarf/bandana

Dust mask

Waterproof shoes

Handheld fan with spare batteries

Water

Flashlight for when the lights go out

Hat--the larger the better--usually can find hats at the px

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