Cool, moist skin is a symptom of which thermal emergency?

• A. Heat Stroke
• B. Heat Exhaustion
• C. Heat Stress
• D. Hypothermia

Answer: (B)

Cool, moist skin shows that the body is still actively cooling itself by sweating. This pattern is most consistent with heat exhaustion, where a person is overheated but hasn’t yet reached the point where sweating stops. In heat exhaustion you typically see heavy sweating, pale and clammy skin that feels cool to the touch, along with symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, and weakness as the body loses fluids and salts. If heat exposure continues and the cooling mechanism fails, sweating can stop and the skin becomes hot and dry, which points to heat stroke and requires urgent medical care. Hypothermia comes from cold exposure and usually presents with cold skin and shivering, not cool, moist skin. So the cool, moist skin clue fits heat exhaustion best. If you’re with someone showing this, help them cool down, give water if they’re alert and able to drink, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or don’t improve.