What should our emergency plan for heat illness include?
Guideline- USA
- NFHS
- NFHS SMAC position statements
- Heat illness
- Hydration
- Youth and high school sports
- Summer sports
- 2025 guidance
- Coaches
- Parents
The NFHS heat statement (October 2025) says every program should have a written, practiced Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place before the season, covering:
- All teams, including freshman, junior varsity and varsity
- All practice and game sites
- Rapid cooling on site. Cold-water tubs, pools, or tarps for the "TACO" method should be available, and staff should be trained and practiced in using them.
- Cool first, transport later. For heat emergencies, the plan should stress cooling the whole body before transport to hospital.
Training: NFHS says its NFHSLearn.com online course "Heat Illness Prevention" should be made available to all coaches, and every member of the coaching staff should be able to recognize the signs of developing heat illness.
States vary: NFHS urges each state association to build all of its heat "Fundamentals" into a heat acclimatization plan, but plans can differ by state and climate.
Updated 21 Oct 2026