As Brownwood students return to classrooms, practices and outdoor activities during another stretch of triple-digit heat, safety instructors and high school athletic trainers are urging families and coaches to take heat illness seriously. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth indicated that temperatures would remain in the upper 90s and lower 100s through the following week, with heat indexes rising into the triple digits.
The forecast is not expected to change quickly. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center has predicted slightly above-normal temperatures across Texas throughout the fall, meaning heat precautions will remain important as autumn sports continue.
What UIL’s new heat-monitoring rule requires
Athletic personnel across Texas are adapting to updated University Interscholastic League guidelines. Beginning this year, outdoor activities must use wet-bulb globe temperature meters, which measure heat conditions in a way that accounts for factors such as temperature, humidity and radiant heat.
The UIL requires readings to be taken within 15 minutes before an activity begins. It also recommends designating the same person to collect the data throughout an outdoor session, helping schools maintain consistent monitoring.
Students in Texas State Technical College’s Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance program are learning how to use the meters. In a recent Industrial Hygiene class at TSTC’s Waco campus, students studied the instruments’ origins in military training camps during the 1950s and how readings can differ in shaded areas compared with pavement.
Hydration, rest and early warning signs
Patti Tate, an instructor in TSTC’s OSEC program, said people working or exercising outdoors should watch out for one another and intervene when someone begins struggling. She recommended scheduling outdoor work early in the morning when conditions are expected to be cooler. Later in the day, she said, people should stop, rest and cool down, with afternoon typically the hottest period. Evening work may offer another option, but still requires caution.
Lindsay Sanders, a vocational nursing instructor at TSTC’s Sweetwater campus, said hydration is the most important basic precaution. She also advised wearing loose-fitting clothing during many outdoor activities.
Sanders identified heat exhaustion as a common problem during extreme heat. Anyone showing signs of heat exhaustion should be moved into the shade immediately and cooled. Cold water or ice packs can help speed the cooling process.
People do not all respond to heat in the same way. Tate said someone who is overweight or not physically fit may have to work harder to cope with high temperatures. The body needs time to acclimate and build stamina, making trained personnel important for recognizing heat-related signs and symptoms.
Fall sports and students at higher risk
Texas fall activities affected by the heat include cross country, football, golf and tennis. Marching bands, cheerleading squads and dance teams also practice and perform outdoors during the autumn.
Julianna Flores, an athletics trainer at Waco High School, said freshmen can require particular attention because they are transitioning from middle school and are not yet familiar to the high school athletic staff. Trainers need to know students’ medical histories and whether they have risk factors such as diabetes or a previous episode of heat exhaustion.
Flores said the first week of activity often brings students who feel sick or tired, particularly when they did not maintain adequate nutrition, hydration or summer conditioning. Athletic staff have access to electrolytes and pickle juice shots when needed.
Brynna Seay, a third-year athletic trainer at Waco’s University High School, said students are encouraged to practice hydration after leaving school in the spring and to stay committed through the summer. The first days of training can be especially intense because some athletes are returning to activity for the first time.
Communication between trainers and coaches can determine whether practices should be shortened or delayed. Trainers collect wet-bulb temperature information and share it with coaches. Seay said Waco ISD Stadium also has hoses on both sidelines and a portable cold and ice tub available for cooling.
The guidance applies beyond school sports. TSTC instructors teach these safety protocols through the OSEC program so graduates can protect crews working in high-risk environments. TSTC’s fall semester starts Tuesday, Sept. 8, and registration remains open. More information is available at tstc.edu.