“Heat index is something the city and the school district manage very closely.”
And when it’s this hot East Grand Rapids parks and recreation director Derek Melville says most outdoor community and school activities are either cancelled or moved indoors
“The high school athletic trainer actually goes out and takes temperature readings of the field. When we are in the ranges where the heat index exceeds 104 degrees that is cancelling all outdoor activities.”
Melville says the Michigan High School Athletic Association takes the guess work out of the decision by providing a chart directing districts to suspend outdoor activities when the temperatures reach a certain level.
“It’s a defined like mathematical equation so we go right to the chart. If the temperatures are outside that range, it makes the decision for us and we are not having to make these hard decisions oh what should we do.”
In the evening when temperatures start to cool, Melville says some outdoor activities may resume.
“As the temperature starts to go down they can reassess.”