SAFETY- RELATED POLICIES

HEAT ALERT POLICY

1.  Modified Heat Alert - When the heat index reaches 88 (equivalent to T.H.I. of 73), practice sessions or contests in all sports must include:
     a.  Forced, frequent water breaks (every 10-15 minutes).
     b.  Loose clothing, light colored shorts and tee shirts (mesh recommended) for practice sessions.
     c.  Frequent rest breaks in shaded areas.
     d.  For football and lacrosse, mandatory water breaks every 15 minutes during which all players must remove helmets.  Those players not participating in contact activities during practice, games or scrimmages shall not wear helmets.

NOTE:  During all contests, the rules are to be modified to permit additional time outs for rest and forced water breaks.

2.  Full Heat Alert - When the heat index reaches 95 (equivalent to T.H.I. of 78),  no physical activity in any sport is permitted.  Team meetings are permitted.

3.  Notification of Schools - The Section XI Safety Chairman, will monitor the heat index and will initiate a heat alert by notifying the Section XI Office as to the course of action.  The Section XI staff will communicate this information to each member district through the Connect-Ed system, with specific instructions for heat alert implementation. (Rev 5/10)

4.  No sport is exempt from modified or full heat alerts.  (1/16/02)

PRE-SCHOOL PRACTICE HOURS

Fall season pre-school practice sessions may only be conducted prior to 10:00 AM and/or after 5:00 PM.  This applies to all sports except golf and swimming.  This restriction is discontinued for the fall season on the Saturday prior to each Labor Day.  (Approved 5/22/03)

PROCEDURES FOR THE PREVENTION OF HEAT ILLNESS

1.  Ten minute rest breaks during each hour of practice in hot weather to include:
     a.  Loosening of uniform jerseys and pads to facilitate cooling.
     b.  Free intake of water to replace fluid losses.
     c.  Rest break conducted in a shaded area.
2.  Water must be freely available to players during practice sessions and games at all levels.
3.  Strict adherence to the mandatory regulation for preseason football practice format.
4.  Rubberized or other types of non-porous sweat suits may not be used under any circumstances.
5.  During pre-school days (August and September), practices are to be conducted prior to 10:00 AM and/or after 5:00 PM.  This policy does not apply to school teams that are conducting practice sessions at overnight camps located off Long Island.  However, the temperature and humidity must be monitored during these practice sessions; and if the heat index reaches the minimum levels established by Section XI, the heat alert policy will apply. Complete daily records of the heat index must be maintained by coaches.
6. During a modified heat alert, the host school will notify contest/scrimmage officials that there will be mandatory water breaks at approximately 15 minute intervals.  

HEAT ILLNESS - extracted from NYS Education Department material

Practice for athletic competition and participation in various forms of physical activity are frequently conducted in very warm and humid weather.  Under such conditions, special precautions must be observed.  Otherwise, the athlete is subject to:
     a.  heat fatigue, depletion of salt and water due to excessive sweating,
     b.  heat exhaustion, excessive depletion of salt and water, or
     c.  heat stroke, overheating from breakdown of the sweating mechanism.

Heat fatigue dulls the athlete's skill and alertness and makes him/her more vulnerable to injury.  The other two heat illnesses can result in serious physical harm and even death.   Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are preventable by careful control of various factors in the conditioning program of the athlete.  With the start of practice, it is essential to provide for gradual acclimatization to hot weather activity.  Equally important is the need to adjust salt and water intake to weather conditions.  As the athlete becomes accustomed to hot weather activity, he/she perspires more freely (and thus dissipates body heat) and excretes less salt (and thus conserves sodium).  With a graduated training regimen, such acclimatization can be expected after a period of one week.

The idea that water should be withheld from athletes during workouts has no scientific foundation.  In fact, such restriction, by depleting water in the body, can lead to heat fatigue and serious heat illness.  During exercise in the heat, it is essential to replace the water lost by perspiration.  Water should be available on the practice and game field AT ALL TIMES  and in large quantities.  THERE IS NO REASON WHY COLD OR ICE WATER SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN.

Salt also needs to be replaced daily, particularly during the acclimatization period.  Extra salting of the athlete's food within the bounds of taste will accomplish this purpose.  Salt tablets, particularly on an empty stomach, can be irritating and may be poorly absorbed.  Adding two teaspoons of salt to a gallon of flavored water used for drinking during hot weather workouts offers a better approach.  The preparation of the saline solution should be under the direction of the school medical doctor.

At the beginning of practice (particularly for the fall season) it must be recognized that the level of conditioning for each player is variable, and it must be assumed that no player is acclimatized to the heat.  It is absolutely essential that the conditioning and acclimatization programs at the onset of practice begin at a modest level and progress slowly during the first week of practice.

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES to help prevent heat illness during the pre-season in football, soccer, cross country and field hockey:
1.  The use of a weight chart to record each player's weight before and after every practice.  Any player losing more than 3% body weight should receive special attention to insure adequate fluid replacement.
2.  Revisions in the conduct of practice sessions when the heat index becomes critical :
     a.  shorten the length of practice sessions.
     b.  revise type and amount of clothing and equipment (shorts, mesh jerseys, etc).
     c.  reduce degree of exertion required during practice sessions.
     d.  change soaked T-shirts.
     e.  give 10-minute rest breaks every hour.
3. Guidelines for the conduct of practice sessions:
     a. With temperature of 80-90 degrees and humidity under 70%, observe carefully for the few athletes particularly susceptible to the heat.
     b. With temperature of 80-90 degrees and humidity over 70% or temperature of 90-100 degrees and humidity under 70%, players should be given 10-minute rest periods every hour, T-shirts should be changed when soaked, and all athletes should be carefully observed.
     c. With temperature of 90-100 degrees and humidity over 70% or temperature over 100 degrees, practice should be postponed or a shortened program should be conducted in shorts and T-shirts.

FIRST AID MEASURES:  Call ambulance and/or police immediately.

Heat Stroke:  Collapse - with dry warm skin - indicates sweating mechanism failure and rising body temperature.  THIS IS AN EMERGENCY; DELAY COULD BE FATAL.  Immediately cool athlete by the most expedient means (immersion in cool water is best method).  Obtain medical care at once.

Heat Exhaustion:  Weakness - with profuse sweating - indicates state of shock due to depletion of salt and water.  Place in shade with head level or lower than body. Give sips of diluted salt water if conscious.  Obtain medical care at once.

                                     

WIND CHILL POLICY

SECTION XI WIND CHILL PROCEDURES

1.  Post-Season Contests:  The Section XI Safety Chairman, in consultation with the Executive Director, will monitor RealFeel (wind chill) one hour prior to the start of a Section XI post-season contest and will alert member schools according to the NYSPHSAA Wind Chill Procedures.

2.  Regular Season Contests or Practices:  Member school districts must use the NYSPHSAA Wind Chill Procedures to determine if an alert or cancellation of events at their school is warranted.

NYSPHSAA WIND CHILL PROCEDURES

Administration of Wind Chill Policy:

1.  Wind Chill will be checked 1 hour before the contest/practice by a certified athletic trainer, athletic director, or school designee  when the air temperature is 39 degrees (Fahrenheit) or lower.

2.  The athletic trainer, athletic director, or school designee will use the accuweather.com website to determine the wind chill index for the area of the contest/practice.  The accuweather.com website can be reached through the NYSPHSAA website.  Once a person is on the accuweather.com website, they will put in the zip code for the location of the contest/practice and the website will give them the air temperature as well as the RealFeel temperature (wind chill).

3.  If the RealFeel temperature (wind chill) is 10 degrees or below, the athletic trainer, athletic director, or school designee must re-check the RealFeel (wind chill) at halftime or midway point of the contest.  If the RealFeel (wind chill) temperature is
-11 degrees (Fahrenheit) or lower, the contest will be suspended. 

Please refer to the following chart to take the appropriate actions: 

 Special note:  Alpine skiing will be exempt from this policy and will follow the regulations of the host ski center where the practice is being held.

Rev. 5/10