Pittsburgh-area school districts prioritizing student-athlete safety during extreme heat
McKEES ROCKS, Pa. (KDKA) -- School districts are taking extra steps to keep their student-athletes safe in this heat.
This week's theme for Montour athletes is don't hydrate; over-hydrate instead.
"We'll be smart and make sure all the kids are safe."
As a late summer heat wave continues to grip the Pittsburgh area, student-athletes are braving the scorching temperatures.
In the Montour School District, the football teams are pushing forward with practice and games.
"It's been hot all summer, and our kids are pretty much acclimated and in shape, hopefully, to withstand something like this. Whatever it takes to try to beat the heat is what we need to do," says Lou Cerro, Montour's athletic director.
With safety as a top priority, Cerro says guidelines are in place to ensure student-athletes can practice and play under these challenging conditions without compromising their health.
"We will give them extra water breaks today, [and] cut down on the running. We'll make sure they take their helmets off when they can when they're not doing anything. We also wear Guardian Caps, and their helmets are even heavier, so we'll make sure they take those off."
Montour is equipped with an athletic trainer on the sidelines to assist player needs.
Cerro says student-athletes may miss or ignore symptoms of heat stress or dehydration, so he's thankful the trainers are present to help keep the players safe.
"Our trainers are very engaged and know what's going on," Cerro said. "We'll always turn to them for any injury or anything that happens especially something in this case."
Montour takes on Moon this Friday. The temperatures are expected to be in the 90s again.