- June 30, 2026 | 2:40 PM - 3:35 PM
- PCC, 113A
When One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Regional Adaptation of WBGT Monitoring for School Athletics
Moderator: Riana Pryor, PhD, ATC, University at Buffalo
Despite growing awareness of exertional heat illness (EHI) risks, state-level adoption and implementation of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) policies for high school athletics remain inconsistent. While organizations like CIF (California), GHSAA (Georgia), and VHSL (Virginia) have rolled out mandates, variations in climate, resource availability, and enforcement have led to differing outcomes. This review explores the clinical and operational impact of WBGT policy adoption, highlights disparities in execution—especially in geographies with significant microclimate variability—and identifies best practices to guide future state-level implementations.
Learning Objectives - Evaluate policies and procedures to determine the effectiveness of heat safety interventions.
- Apply evidence-based guidelines to develop or modify environmental monitoring protocols for secondary school settings.
- Analyze the practicality and feasibility of implementing heat safety protocols in diverse environmental and institutional settings.
Keywords: wbgt; ehi; activity guidelines
