Bacpacjoe ... mentioned teamwork. It was vitally important 3 days ago. I got "hit" by the extreme tropical heat in the Amazon Basin. The combination of high temperatures and high humidity can impact the body quickly. I was affected by heat exhaustion and heat stroke ... it developed very quickly.

For us,the big problem was that we just arrived from the mountains of Peru where the climate is vastly different - and cooler. I spent 3 hours in the ER in Brazil, while they pumped IV fluids back into my body. Its no fun. My wife did a fantastic job of getting help, and getting cold water onto my body ... fast.

As a practical tip ... if you go to extreme tropical climates, keep some plastic bottles handy ... filled with ice-water. Just take some empty Coke bottles, fill them with water, and freeze them in a hotel refrigerator overnight. In an emergency, pour the water directly on the victim's head. Its a life saver. I am OK now, but recovery took a couple of days and lots of electrolytes.