What parents should know about the wet bulb globe temperature and heat safety

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Last week, the UIL announced new heat safety protocols for high school athletes. It involves using a measurement called the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature to dictate whether weather conditions are deemed safe for outdoor activities such as football practice or marching band.

The wet bulb globe temperature is another way to quantify the impact of hot days on the body. Compared to the heat index, it gives a more comprehensive look at the heat's impact by factoring in the air temperature, humidity, winds, sky condition, and sun angle to get a final value. That's why the wet bulb globe is a better estimate for real-time heat risk for a given location, and why that value is now the ultimate deciding factor for if it's safe to practice outdoors in the heat or not.

Kingwood High School head football coach Stacy Williams says using the wet bulb globe temperature is a game changer in keeping his athletes safe, and something they're working around.

"If the trainer says we're in the orange right now or in the yellow, we have to come out of our shoulder pads. That's what we have to do," said Williams.

Additionally, practice is also being scheduled earlier in the morning or later at night to accommodate his athletes in the heat.

Based on the wet bulb globe temperature, the UIL has precautions in place for high school athletes. If the value is between 82 and 86.9 degrees, it's expected there to be at least three separate rest breaks of at least four minutes during an hour-long practice. From 87 to 90 degrees, the above standards carry over, and the maximum practice time should be limited to two hours. From 90.1 to 92 degrees, the maximum practice time is limited to an hour, and there must be a 20-minute rest break.

If the wet bulb globe temperature is equal to or above 92.1 degrees, outdoor practice should be canceled altogether. There are also additional measures in place for football athletes practicing with or without pads and helmets. And just like the heat index, the wet bulb globe temperature can vary during the day.

And as students come home from practice, Sports Medicine Physician Dr. Benedict Ifedi with Memorial Hermann says the main question parents should be asking themselves is, 'Does your child seem confused, quiet or more tired than normal after practice?' From there, you can begin to assess for any heat-related illness.

Some of the signs to notice would be fatigue, headache, clammy skin, and muscle cramping. Also, make sure to prevent those signs and symptoms after practice by relaxing, changing out of those practice clothes, getting their body temperature down through ice packs or cool showers and ice baths, and eating a well-balanced meal.

And Dr. Ifedi reiterated that prevention and awareness are key here, as sometimes students may not realize what is going on or that something is not normal to a point where it could pose a danger to their health and safety.