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On a scorching day at Towson University, the air temperature was 84 degrees — but the number that mattered most wasn’t on a weather app.
Athletic Trainer Tim Happel held a handheld device that displayed 91.4 degrees, a reading of the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which offers a more accurate picture of heat stress by factoring in sun angle, wind, cloud cover, humidity, and temperature.
“It can affect how long practice would be, how many breaks they get, how much water we want them to drink,” said Happel, who works with MedStar Health and typically covers Howard Community College and USA Lacrosse.
Happel’s reading fell between the yellow and orange risk zones — elevated, but not yet extreme. According to the National Weather Service, that level indicates a risk of heat stress after just 20 minutes of exertion in direct sunlight.
“That’s when we recommend breaks,” said Dr. Matt Sedgley, a MedStar sports medicine physician.
All MedStar Athletic Trainers use WBGT devices — about the size of a walkie-talkie — equipped with sensors to read sun intensity and wind speed. After a few minutes, they display a number that coordinates with a chart used to guide activity levels.
“It dictates how the day goes,” Sedgley said, recalling a marathon that was once canceled due to extreme heat. “It doesn’t always make you popular. It’s important to keep everyone safe.”
With heat-related deaths in Maryland already outpacing recent years, and more than 900 emergency room visits this season, the importance of prevention has never been greater.
A proposed federal bill — the Jordan McNair Student Athlete Heat Fatality Prevention Act — aims to require schools to implement emergency plans and WBGT monitoring.
For Athletic Trainers, that number on the screen could mean the difference between safety and tragedy. Read the full story here!
