Beat the Heat

Prevent heat-related illnesses this summer

Your youth group is excited about the upcoming Ultimate Frisbee tournament being held on your campus. Thirty teenagers have signed up. The night before the big day, your phone dings and you see a local weather alert pop up with an excessive heat warning for your area. Now what?

Outdoor Activities & Hot Weather

Excessive heat is defined as temperatures that hover 10 degrees or more above the average high for the region and can occur with or without high humidity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heat waves are a leading cause of extreme weather-related deaths in the United States, killing more than 1,200 people each year. That's why when you're planning summer outdoor activities, it’s important to keep an eye on participants, because if you’re unprepared for heat-related illness, things can get hot fast.

If you're planning activities this summer, keep the following in mind:

• Check weather forecasts ahead of time to be better prepared.

• When planning an event, try to schedule strenuous activities for the coolest time of the day.

• Have a back-up plan to reschedule an activity to another day or to move it inside where it is airconditioned if is too hot to be outdoors.

• Add opportunities for participants to take frequent breaks in the shade or an air conditioned space to cool down and rehydrate.

• If food is involved, plan for light, cool, easy-to-digest foods such as fruit or salad. Store snacks and lunches in a cooler if a refrigerator is not available. Note: meats and dairy products can spoil quickly in hot weather.

• Ask participants to dress appropriately for the environment—loose fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing is best.

• Provide water for participants, and encourage them to drink plenty of water (not very cold) before, during, and after physical activity, even if they don't feel very thirsty. Note: Caffeinated beverages are those high in sugar/sweetness content are not recommended.

• Minimize direct exposure to the sun. Sunburn reduces the body's ability to dissipate heat.

• Have a plan for responding to medical emergencies.

• Know the symptoms for heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.

• Keep a first-aid kit with a thermometer and instant cold packs on hand, so that you can check the temperature of participants, and cool them off.

Beware of Fans

When it comes to cooling off - note that fans and air conditioning are not the same. Fans create air flow and a false sense of comfort, but do not reduce body temperature or prevent heat-related illnesses and should not be used as a primary source of cool air.

• Use portable electric fans to exhaust hot air from rooms or draw in cooler air.

• Do not direct the flow of portable electric fans toward a person when room temperature is hotter than 90°F. The dry blowing air can dehydrate a person faster, endangering their health

Three types of heat-related illness

1. Heat Cramps. The mildest heat-related condition, heat cramps, consists of muscle pain and spasms caused by heavy physical exertion in high heat. While not deadly, heat cramps are a warning sign that your body is becoming stressed by the heat. If any participants develop heat cramps, it is important to:

• Get them out of the heat immediately.

• Have them rest in a comfortable position.

• Lightly stretch and gently massage the affected muscle.

• Give them a half a glass of water every 15 minutes.

Do NOT provide liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine, as they can worsen conditions by causing further dehydration.

2. Heat Exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is the second most serious of the three heat-related disorders. Some symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• Cool, moist, pale, or flushed skin.

• Dizziness, exhaustion and nausea.

• Faintness.

• Goosebumps, in spite of the heat.

• Headache.

• Heavy sweating.

• Low blood pressure upon standing.

• Muscle cramps.

• Normal, or below normal body temperature.

• Weak, rapid pulse.

These symptoms may start suddenly or may develop gradually after days of heat exposure. If you suspect that people are suffering from heat exhaustion, it is important to:

• Get them into an air-conditioned building or vehicle. If an air-conditioned environment is not available, move them to a shaded area.

• Have them rest on their backs, with their legs higher than their heart level.

• Make them drink cool fluids—stick to water.

• Apply cool water to their skin.

• Loosen clothing, and remove any clothing that is unnecessary.

Seek medical attention if they don’t begin to feel better within 60 minutes, or if their body temperature reaches 104ºF or higher.

3. Heatstroke. Heatstroke is the most serious of the three heat-related conditions, and is a medical emergency requiring immediate professional medical attention to prevent brain damage, organ failure, or death. Call 911 immediately. Here are some steps you can take to help prevent permanent injury or death while waiting for emergency responders to arrive:

• Get them into an air-conditioned building or vehicle.

• Apply cool water to their skin.

Symptoms of heatstroke include:

• Very high body temperature—sometimes as high as 106ºF.

• Changes in consciousness.

• Hot, red skin.

• Lack of sweating.

• Muscle weakness or cramps.

• Rapid pulse.

• Rapid, shallow breathing.

• Seizures, hallucinations, or difficulty speaking.

• Vomiting.

This article from the Safety Library at Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company is used with permission. The information provided is intended to be helpful, but it does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed attorney in your area. We encourage you to regularly consult with a local attorney as part of your risk management program.

Article originally published June 2019. Updated June 2024.