We all know summertime is going to be hot, well we hope so. Therefore, we all prepare for the humidity, sweaty sticky-ness, and inability to sleep comfortably through the night. Seeing that heat is not exactly something new to us, you would assume that we know how to deal with it.
Unfortunately, this is not the case all the time especially when it comes to sports and working in the heat. For some reasons humans like to think they are invincible, and the second before they realize they aren’t it can be too late. In the past week there have been three deaths in Georgia caused by heat, claiming the life of two students and a coach. Between 1999 and 2003, there were 3,442 reported deaths resulting from exposure to extreme heat, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats four years where so many had to lose their lives because of the heat?
Photo provided by Sister72
Clearly there is a break down somewhere. There have been guidelines set into place in school districts that coaches abide by to keep their players safe during the pre-season. However, there are no actual rules protecting high schools students from heat related incidents. No doubt that there is room for improvement here, but that is not the only issue.
One of the biggest issues is the lack of knowledge of what heat stroke actually is. Kids aren’t aware that they are in severe danger because it doesn’t feel like such a departure from being mildly dehydrated. When peoples’ muscles start cramping, your legs become weak, and vision is blurry, it’s time to seek help. People need to understand what it is, in order to avoid it.
Overall, these tragic incidents, which are absolutely preventable, are not being given enough attention. The need to become educated about the dangers of heat has never been more clear.
