I just finished watching this week's episode of Deadliest Catch, the Discovery Channel's look into the lives of crab fishing in the Bering Sea. It's a great show if you haven't seen it. My wife and I are into it hook, line and sinker (sorry, couldn't pass up that pun).

Tonight's episode is all about injuries and potential life-threatening emergencies. A boat heads out to fish with one of its two main engines out. An 800 pound pot comes loose from the "block" -- a pulley that brings it up from the sea floor -- and almost takes off a fisherman's fingers. Another 800 lb pot nearly drags a crew member over the side when the line snags his leg.

It was a harrowing view of the dangers of commercial fishing.

Tonight's show culminates with Keith Colburn, captain of the Wizard, calling the US Coast Guard to evacuate a sick deckhand. It's great TV, filled with all the drama befitting a struggle between life and death.

It also was probably not a life-threatening event.

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As the weather warms up, we are reminded none too gently that we have to stay hydrated if we want to play outside.

Heat exhaustion sneaks up on you. A few weeks ago at a law enforcement memorial service on the first hot day of the season (over 90 degrees), several of the officers and civilians got weak and dizzy from heat illness. Water was available, but I'm not sure everyone knew it and to be fair, watching uniformed officers break formation to get a drink of water had an affect on the solemnity of the moment. I think everyone was aware of that fact and it was a deterrent from drinking enough fluids.

At a recent fire, several responders were affected by the heat of the day coupled with the heat of the situation. Since it's early in the year, the habit of drinking constantly hasn't been reinforced yet. It's weird to me how we'll have more heat illness patients at a fire scene from 90 degree weather in May than we will from 100 degree weather in July. Proof that you can fight heat illness with behavior and fluids.

So, as we move outside to enjoy the sunshine and the heat begins to take its toll, here are the things we all need to remember:

• Drink. Water, not beer.
• Ease into the weather. Hitting the lake for the first time this year should be a mellower day than it will be next time. Take it easy and don't try to stay out for 12 hours on your inaugural visit.
• Eat. Nutrition has almost as much to do with fighting heat illness as fluids do.
• Stay cool. If you're going to be out, stay in the shade when possible. This goes along with easing into it.

If you do get overheated, get out of the heat and out of your clothes to rehydrate. Peeling off those layers and replacing fluids is the key to recovery. You must cool down before you develop heat stroke. If you are with someone else and they start acting funny or they go from pale and sweaty to dry and red, call 911 or get them to the emergency room pronto. Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition that needs emergency medical treatment to fix.

• Sun Exposure
• Heat Survival
• Dehydration Symptoms

Yes, your dog's food can make you sick.

First of all, the standards for things like contaminents in pet food are different than in food made for human consumption. Pet food is allowed to have much more stuff in it. Eating it can make us sick. It's not an emergency if you catch a toddler munching on kibble, but between the choking potential and possible contaminents you shouldn't allow it.

Likewise, handling pet food can make you sick if it's contaminated. A recent outbreak of salmonella poisoning in folks handling dog foods made by Diamond Pet Foods at one plant in South Carolina illustrates how pet food can make even adults sick without having to eat it.

The CDC is reporting 14 people with documented salmonella poisoning in 9 states. Five people were hospitalized, but nobody has died.

Two things I recommend:

1. Check your dog food against the list of brands provided by the manufacturer and throw it out if it's from the contaminated lot.
2. Always wash your hands after handling pet food. In these cases, the people who got sick probably handled the dog's food and then their own without washing up.

What do you want to do when you grow up? I have a couple of high school seniors graduating this year and a couple of kids in the military who are home now and starting their civilian lives. It got me interested in job growth, otherwise known as "How to get your teenagers to leave the house and pay their own bills."

I didn't really see a great discussion of the possibilities for EMTs and paramedics on the web, so I wrote EMT and Paramedic Jobs: Where Can EMTs and Paramedics Work and How Much Do They Make?.

I also wanted to share a new piece on seizure symptoms. We've always had How to Treat Seizures, but now there's a good discussion on how to recognize seizures.

What do you want to see at About.com First Aid? I haven't asked in quite a while, but I do like to have input from readers. Share your thoughts in the comments below.