Learn the latest regarding educating parents, coaches and athletes in our discussion with Laurie Giordano of the Zach Martin Foundation. She is passionate about Exertional Heat issues and their impact upon our youth. Her son Zach, passed away following a heat stroke in a summer football conditioning session. His death would have been most likely prevented by utilizing cold water immersion and putting cool first, transport second procedures in place.
Join her national effort at https://www.change.org/p/support-funding-for-exertional-heat-illness-education-and-equipment?source_location=search
I'm asking for your support in addressing a growing health problem – exertional heat injuries and deaths among youth athletes. With the proper education, training, equipment, and prevention strategies, we can prevent these serious injuries and deaths.
My son, Zach Martin, a Florida high school football player, died nearly six years ago after experiencing exertional heat stroke (EHS) during conditioning on a hot June day. That led me to help ensure no other parents had to experience this same tragedy. I created the Zach Martin Memorial Foundation -- https://zachmartinfoundation.com/home -- which provides EHS / Exertional Heat Illness (EHI) education, awareness, and prevention equipment to athletes, schools, club teams, coaches, and parents. I also successfully lobbied for the enactment and implementation of a 2020 Florida state law – the Zachary Martin Act – which is protecting youth athletes.
The odds of every state enacting this life-saving legislation are slim and can take years to be approved, so I am launching a campaign seeking national action by Congress, federal agencies, and the President to take action to prevent EHS and EHI. Specifically, to provide grants to athletic programs to purchase cooling tubs, wet bulb globe thermometers, ice machines, tents, coolers, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and other equipment to address students and athletes in distress; and encourage other relevant agencies to develop a national training program addressing EHS and EHI symptoms, treatments and best practices for prevention, as well as “bystander response and first aid” for heat stroke.
All National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports register EHS incidents, but football is the most prevalent and practices are where the most incidents occur. Not surprisingly, states with the hottest average temperatures saw the most incidents of EHI, but it is not limited by geographic location. High school athletics do not get as much attention as the NCAA because they are not required to report instances of EHI & EHS and have less oversight. However, a survey of high schools in Florida revealed 416 EHI and 18 EHS incidents during one school year. These are frightening numbers and they do not include summer conditioning injuries and deaths.
Zach's death, and other EHI injuries and EHS deaths, are an unnecessary result of a lack of awareness of the signs and symptoms of EHS and too little knowledge on prevention and treatment. Cold water immersion of the torso in ice and water results in a 100 percent rate of EHS survival when used promptly, on-site, and before EMS transport. The rule to remember is: Cool first; transport second.
While EHI’s are not always life-threatening, EHS does lead to death if not recognized and treated appropriately within the first 15 minutes of symptoms. However, through proper education and awareness, EHS can be recognized early, and treated successfully. Athletic programs should have the education, preparedness, and equipment and supplies ready and available to properly assess and treat life-threatening conditions.
