The excessive heat blanketing southeast Nebraska this week is forcing schools to adjust athletic activities for the safety of the students participating.
Assistant Director of The Nebraska School Activities Association, Ron Higdon told KLIN News how they prepare high schools in their association for these conditions.
“We purchased every high school in the state that belongs to our association. A wet bulb global thermometer. It uses ambient temperature, wind, humidity and the sun angle,” and based off these factors, measures the amount of heat stress in direct sunlight, says Higdon… of which, over the next couple of days, “there’s going to be a lot of times where the areas that they’re in are going to be in the black.”
Exceeding and blowing through the proverbial red warning level. When in the black, outdoor competitions and practices are not to be held, either rescheduling or moving indoors.
“I’ve heard of football practices going inside,” said Higdon, “I’ve heard of football practices happening at like 5:30 a.m. so that they can get those cool temperatures. The vast majority of the softball games in the metro area determined they wouldn’t play, and they’re working on date changes.”
Heat Indices are expected to reach 115 degrees this week… and if conditions fall from black to the more mild red zone, those temperatures, albeit safe, are still sure to be intense for intense outdoor physical activity. For this reason, Higdon says the NSAA requires every member of the coaching staff to take a heat illness prevention class, once every three years, “Which gives them all the information that they need to prevent heat illness. The hydration portion of it. Electrolyte drinks. Sometimes you need to replace your electrolytes. And that’s not just water.”
Southeast Nebraska’s excessive heat warning is expected to persist through Wednesday evening.