Hot Louisiana Summers Can Lead to Sun Stroke
by Kathryn
(Chicago, IL)
When I was in high school, I was a member of our high school dance team. Every summer we would travel to various college campuses in our state for ‘dance team camp’.
The summer of my junior year, dance team camp was held on the campus of Louisiana Tech. Louisiana summers are always hot and nasty but this one was particularly hot.
We had excessive heat warnings out daily. While we were at camp, there were constant announcements and warnings from staff and our chaperons, “HYDRATE!”
We were given extra breaks. They were worried about heat exhaustion and sun strokes.
Not everyone could practice inside of a building so we would look for shade around campus to work on our dances and learn new techniques.
Our school was especially worried about sun stroke because one of my fellow dance team members lost her brother to sun stroke at football practice 3 years earlier.
However, even with all of the warnings and precautions taken, there were several girls, from other schools, who had to be taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion, verging on sun stroke.
It’s not something that should be taken lightly because it can happen. It can happen fast… and it can be deadly.
