the more than 6,500 international athletes competing under the hot mid-summer sun. Recognizing the importance of on-site conditions monitoring for athletes, the event organizers deployed five Kestrel Heat Stress Trackers mounted on tripods to track wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and help prevent exertional heat stress injuries with actionable data. This year’s Games featured competitions in aquatics, gymnastics, track and field, basketball, soccer and many other summer sports.
According to Thad Hummel Woodward M.D., assistant medical director of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, “Heat has been a significant factor in the 2015 games and the Kestrel meters allow us to monitor the environmental conditions and keep our athletes safe. Under the recommendations of the Korey Stringer Institute, the physicians of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games are using the Kestrel wet bulb globe temperature meter to ensure a safe event for the 6,500 competitors coming from around the world.”
The Kestrel 4400 helps athletic trainers, military trainers, emergency staff, scientists and event organizers get real-time information to monitor environmental conditions such as heat index, relative humidity, temperature and most importantly WBGT. WBGT is an aggregate environmental measurement that combines ambient temperature, humidity, sunlight, radiant heat and wind into a single number that can be referenced to published guidelines to increase safety and preparedness for hot weather activities.This year’s Games featured competitions in aquatics, gymnastics, track and field, basketball, soccer and many other summer sports.