As knowledge about the dangers of extreme heat becomes common knowledge, school officials are vigilant about keeping students safe, as football and band practice begins. But there”s another population who can”t move out of harm”s way.
Dennis Reginelli, Mississippi State University Extension Service agronomist for Noxubee, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties, says an increase in temperatures and spotty rainfall have damaged summer crops such as cotton, corn and soybeans in the area.
Starting in June, he says, farmers noticed a jump in temperatures about a week earlier than normal. One week of above of above average temperatures isn”t catastrophic, but combined with a two-inch drop in rainfall in spots over the past couple months, it”s significant.
Caledonia farmer Dwight Colson has felt the hit-or-miss effects of the heat and the drought. With 600 acres spread out over six miles in the Caledonia area, Colson has some corn crops which have received ample rain and others that are struggling to grow in dry soil. Some of Colson”s undernourished crops simply don”t mature while others are falling apart.
“My cotton crop is starting to shed already. Plants wilt and shed fruit to survive (in dry conditions),” he said.
The jury is still out on Colson”s soybean crop. A 30-minute downpour Tuesday provided some much needed relief, but if precipitation doesn”t resume normal levels, he says much of his crop will be lost.
Colson is expecting diminished returns on his cotton and corn crops. Being a farmer in the South, he anticipated unpredictable weather, but following an unusually wet winter which destroyed wheat and oat crops, the situation is getting drastic.
“You can expect this type of weather, but it hurts any time you take a loss,” said Colson. “In September, October and November we had like 26 inches and that messed us up. Now we”re getting dry weather and heat. If we could get some of the water now we got then it would have been nice.”
The National Weather Service in Jackson reports some areas in North Mississippi have received twice as much rainfall as usual this summer while others are two inches short. In the dry areas, Reginelli says some cotton crops are “barely knee high and burning up.”
“Some areas are hurt worse than others, but it”s all critical in the eastern part of the state,” he said.
He says corn production in Noxubee county has dropped from an average 115 bushels per acre to 100 bushels per acre for some farms.
Besides hurting farmers” wallets, Reginelli says the dip in production will also effect the tax base in agricultural counties.
Schools take care
But hurting wallets are better than hurting kids, which is why schools are taking special care to keep students healthy during the hottest part of the summer.
Tony Stanford, new head football coach at Columbus High School, says water breaks are a must during practice and proper hydration and diet is preached after practice.
“The biggest thing we do is have water on the field at all times. If a player isn”t in a drill he can get water at all times. And the whole team takes periodic breaks every 15-20 minutes,” says Stanford. “And we give them drinks after practice. We use Squincher here because they”re in town and it has a lot of electrolytes.”
Stanford also warns against skipping meals, especially breakfast. Chris Chambless, head coach for West Point High School football, tells his players to stay away from sugary drinks and get plenty of fruit in them to avoid cramping.
“You can tell real quick when a player starts cramping up. It”s a sign you need to get him out of the heat and get more fluids in him,” said Chambless. “Luckily, we do a good job of getting our guys in shape, but you can be in great shape and still be in trouble for heat exhaustion.”
He says it”s in his best interest as a coach to take care of his players and keep them healthy so they”ll be ready on Friday nights.
“You can call yourself being hard and strict, but you better watch out for them and keep them healthy and hydrated,” he said.
Both Stanford and Chambless refuse to let the heat dictate when and where they practice. They might extend practice to insert more water breaks. They may allow players to remove some pads. But if the sun”s out, the team is outside.
Charles Cooper, CHS band director, doesn”t need to be outside to practice. He instructs his students to dress in loose, light-colored clothes and to wear hats, sunglasses and sunscreen, but he”ll happily pull his kids off the field if he feels the heat is a problem.
“We try to do as much inside as possible so we spend as little time outside as necessary,” said Cooper.
Ice water is on tap at band practice and the longest practice will go is around two hours, but Cooper takes care to avoid risks.
“If any kid feels out of the ordinary in any way we just ask them to sit down. No heroes,” he said.
RECOGNIZING HEAT ILLNESS
- Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.
- Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke. Signals of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.
- Heat stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim”s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high — sometimes as high as 105 degrees.
Care for heat emergencies
- Heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully awake and alert, give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. Call 911 or the local emergency number if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.
- Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 911 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.
Source: American Red Cross
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