A&T Participates in Heat Stroke Project

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2001

Greensboro, NC: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is tackling agricultural safety in a multi-institution project, and the latest target is heat stroke.

The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, also known as the North Carolina Institute for Health and Safety in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, is a partnership involving A&T’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, School of Nursing, and School of Technology, the North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the East Carolina University School of Medicine.

 “Agriculture can be a dangerous business,” said Dr. Alton Thompson, dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, who has been involved with Agromedicine at A&T since the University joined the effort in 1998. “While we can’t make it completely free of accidents, we believe that we can have a significant impact on reducing agricultural catastrophes that cost families money and sometimes, loved ones.”

According to Thompson, the Institute is using the heat stroke project as a model that can be transferred to other heath problems.

“Almost anyone who works outside in North Carolina can be at risk for heat stroke, making it one of the most common threats,” said Thompson. “At the same time, because cold water, shade and rest are often readily available prevention tools, the threat is relatively easy to manage. These factors make heat stroke an ideal ailment upon which to base prevention models for other ailments, such as hearing loss, pesticide exposure and tractor rollovers.”

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