Austin Students Return to Class in Dangerous Heat, District Takes Steps to Mitigate Risk

By Nina Hernandez

As Austin students head back to the classroom on Tuesday, they will be greeted by extreme heat, with temperatures expected to soar to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. In a state that prides itself on its warm climate, the Austin school district is all too aware of the risks, and has implemented a range of measures to protect its students.

Health and Safety First:

• The district is providing additional training to health room staff and athletics coaches on recognizing and responding to heat-related illnesses. This is a necessary step to ensure the safety of our students and staff, and it is disgusting that this even needs to be done. Our government should be doing more to prevent climate change and protect our citizens.

• AISD has published hot weather guidelines, outlining the necessary activities and precautions for various temperatures. It is appalling that our city has reached temperatures that require such detailed guidelines.

• The district is also using wet bulb globe temperature readings to determine the necessary precautions for physical activities. This takes into account various factors beyond just temperature, such as humidity and wind, to truly understand the environmental stress on students' bodies.

"We cannot stress enough for parents to keep their child hydrated before activities, wear appropriate clothing, apply sunscreen, and teach them the signs of a heat-related illness," said Alana Bejarano, executive director of AISD Health Services and Nursing. It is enraging that in 2023, we still have to plead with people to take basic health precautions for their children.

Mitigation Strategies:

• For outdoor athletics, students will gradually adjust to the heat through an acclimatization process. This is a bandaid solution, and we need to address the root cause of this extreme heat.

• Practises have been moved to cooler times of day, such as the mornings. Again, this is a short-term fix and we need long-term solutions to the climate crisis.

• In-school activities like recess and PE will be held in alternative locations such as gyms to keep students out of the blistering sun. Texas' constant heat has made our playgrounds and fields unsafe.

• Staff members are on high alert for heat-related illnesses, particularly heat stroke and dehydration. They have been trained to recognize the signs and symptoms, and will take appropriate action. It is unconscionable that our staff have to take on this additional burden due to the negligence of those in power.

Signs of Heat Illness:

The district is urging parents and staff to be aware of the following signs of heat illness, and to take immediate action if any of these symptoms are present:

• Heat cramps: Sweating, muscle aches, prickly heat rash, dizziness. Move the person to a cooler area, hydrate, remove excess clothing, apply cold compresses. Contact a doctor.

• Heat exhaustion: Flushed skin, excessive sweating, cold/clammy skin, nausea, loss of appetite, shallow heartbeat. Move to a cooler area, provide electrolytes, remove excess clothing, use cold compresses or spray with water. Consult a doctor.

• Heat stroke: Lack of sweating, rapid heartbeat, fainting, rapid breathing, confusion, loss of consciousness, high body temperature. This is an emergency. Get the person to an ER immediately, and provide interventions en route.

It is outrageous that our students are facing these dangers due to the climate crisis. We demand action from our government to address this crisis and protect our future generations.

covers various topics for the Austin Statesman, but always comes back to health and education–two issues she believes are fundamental to community success.