Heat precautions made for students in Visalia summer PE classes

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It was 108 degrees Tuesday, the hottest day of the year, and the heat is taking a toll on all of those who have to spend time outdoors.

It's getting hot, so there's not much hanging around after class is dismissed at Redwood High School.

By 12:35 p.m., most students are headed straight for the exit.

"With 1600 kids here on campus, it is very packed and we do offer 37 sessions here for summer school," Visalia Unified School District Summer School principal Manny Sanchez said.

Events include physical education, where two classes rotate between the gym the pool, and the weight room.

Sanchez says those classes typically do outdoor activities when it's cool in the early morning and then move inside for the last couple of hours.

But it's the latest air quality reports that ultimately tell them how much time they should spend outside.

"Definitely, on a day like this we like to keep our kids inside," Sanchez said. "Just as well as our academic classes. You know, our breaks are taken inside at times, and gives the kids an opportunity to take a break but without being in the heat."

Sanchez says there's a school nurse on site that monitors the heat and makes sure students are staying hydrated, especially those in PE

"The students are encouraged to bring their own water bottle, and we do allow students to leave the classroom to get a drink of water and obviously to use the restroom," he said.

The county of Tulare is also taking an opportunity to remind the public to take care of children, no matter their age, this summer.

When they're near water, officials recommend adult supervision at all times, and, in the sun, they say never leave a child in a hot car and protect them with sunscreen.

"We want to limit our outdoor activities to the mornings or the evenings," Tulare Public Health Director Jason Britt said. "We also want to be careful with playground structures and those types of things cause even though they're made of plastic some of them, they can get very hot during the day."

It is a long, tiring day for those taking a Summer PE Class, but at least they're done by 12:30 p.m. -- long before they feel the most extreme heat of the day.