Portales Municipal School District

Heat Illness Prevention Protocol NMAA Bylaw 7.6.21

Each school is responsible for obtaining either a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature or Heat Index reading at the site of practices and competitions. Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) considers more environmental factors than heat index and should be a school’s first choice when evaluating conditions and planning activities. In the absence of a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reading, a digital psychrometer or other instrument may be used at the site of the activity to measure the heat index. The use of a weather app on a cell phone is permissible to measure heat index if no other instrument is available to measure heat index at the site of the practice or competition.
 

A cold-water immersion tub or other form of rapid on-site cooling should be available for all warm-weather practices. If exertional heat stroke is suspected, use immersion for on-site cooling before transporting to the hospital. Access to water should always be available to all athletes.
 

PRACTICE PROTOCOLS

1. WBGT < 87 or Heat Index < 95 Degrees

1. Provide at least 10 minutes of rest breaks distributed throughout each hour of practice. Recommend at least two to three separate rest breaks each hour.

2. WBGT 87 to 89.9 or Heat Index of 95 Degrees to 99 Degrees

1. Maximum practice time is 2 hours.

2. For All Sports: Provide at least 15 minutes of rest breaks distributed throughout each hour of practice. Recommend at least three to four separate rest breaks each hour.

3. For Football: Players are restricted to helmets, shoulder pads, and shorts during practice that does not involve contact, and all protective equipment must be removed during conditioning activities. If the Heat Index/WBGT rises to this level during practice, players may continue to work out wearing football pants without changing to shorts.

3. WBGT 90 to 92 or Heat Index of 100 Degrees to 104 Degrees

1. Maximum practice time is 1 hour.  
2. For All Sports: There must be 20 minutes of rest breaks distributed throughout the hour of practice and no conditioning activities.
3. For Football: No protective equipment may be worn during practice that does not involve contact.

4. Above 92.0 WBGT or Heat Index Above 104 Degrees

1. No outdoor practice. Outdoor practice cannot take place until WBGT level is 92.0 or below or heat index is 104 or below.

COMPETITION PROTOCOLS

1. WBGT > 87 or Heat Index > 95

1. Soccer Modification - The referee shall stop the game for a heat time-out lasting no less than five minutes during the first and second half. The time-out will be called at the first logical time to stop play after the 20-minute mark of each half.
2. Football Modification - Officials shall stop the game for a heat time-out at the first dead ball after the halfway point of each quarter. If either team has possession of the ball inside the other team’s twenty-yard line, officials may delay this time out until either the offensive team scores or the ball is turned over.

2. Above 92.0 WBGT or Heat Index Above 104 Degrees

1. No outdoor competition. An outdoor competition cannot take place until WBGT level is 92.0 or below or heat index is 104 or below.

National Weather Service Heat Index Calculator

The NFHS has a terrific FREE course called "A Guide to Heat Acclimatization and Heat Illness Prevention". The NMAA strongly encourages everyone to make use of this FREE resource. 

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