Full of it

Some might not consider the Midwest as a region where heat-related illnesses are a summertime concern. But that thinking couldn’t be further from the truth.

For example, temperatures in the Chicago area during the summer months regularly will reach the low 90s. As recently as last summer the region experienced 10 straight days of 90-plus degree weather. Occasionally, about every two or three years, the temperature soars beyond 100 degrees for a brief period

Matt Harstad, superintendent at Calumet Country Club in Homewood, Ill., is quick to point out that in the Chicago-land area, as in much of the Midwest, the humidity is a significant concern. Harstad does his best to see that his team completes the most physically demanding work during off-peak hours.

“Depending on what’s on going on, we’ll try to all of our walk mowing and more strenuous work first thing in the morning,” he says of his staff of 14s. “And then we try to give the guys less strenuous jobs or maybe jobs in the shade a little bit more, or riding machines when it gets hotter in the afternoon so they’re not as prone to be getting worn out.”

New employees are shown a video dealing with heat-safety issues and veteran staffers occasionally get a refresher course on the subject, but Harstad relies primarily on a common-sense approach.

“We have one of those five-gallon water coolers in the guys’ lunchroom so they always have easy access to water,” he says. “On the days that its really warm I really stress in the mornings that they drink a lot of water during the day.”

Hydration is Harstad’s mantra during oppressively warm weather.

“I try to stress on (summer) mornings that everybody drink a lot of water,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll see them drinking a bunch of pop (soda/soft drinks) and I’ll tell then that’s not helping. You need to drink water and at times I’ll go up to the clubhouse and get 15 Gatorades so everyone can have Gatorade on those days.”

But Harstad says most of his team knows to take the proper precautions against the heat. “Most of the guys will carry gallon water jugs with them on hot days,” he says. “And they’ll drink a ton of water when it’s hot. They’re pretty good about it on their own.”

During the summer months, Harstad installs a window air conditioner in the lunchroom. He also encourages members of his team to take breaks when they need it.

“I always stress if they’re not feeling well on those hot days they’re welcome to come inside, take 10 minutes and cool off before they go back out,” he says.

Harstad says he’s fortunate a member of his team has never become stricken with heatstroke.

“The most major situation we ever had was a guy got a little dizzy,” he says. “We just brought him inside, he drank a bunch of water and cooled off and then we kind of let him stay inside for the rest of the day.”