Newnan, Ga. (Aug. 14, 2019) Temperatures in Georgia can stay hot from early spring deep into September and these conditions can cause health issues for athletes practicing or playing in the heat. Piedmont Newnan Hospital continued its partnership with Coweta County School System by donating $15,000 to purchase misting tents for each of the three high school’s athletic departments as well as additional AED devices.
Heat-related illness can be very serious and, according to the Center for Disease Control, is the third- leading cause of death among high school athletes.
“We are thankful to have Piedmont Newnan Hospital support our school system each year with a donation to keep our students safe and healthy,” said Evan Horton, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services and Safety, Coweta County School System. “When Piedmont Newnan asked us what our needs were this year, misting tents immediately came to mind as a way to combat heat-related illnesses for our local athletes.”
The hospital purchased a Cool-Off 12v rechargeable, portable misting tent for each of the three county high schools. The tents provide relief for athletes by cooling everything within their 10-foot-by-10 foot area with misting fans, dropping ambient temperature by as much as 25 degrees. Heat-related illnesses, like heat stroke, occur when the body can’t effectively cool down. This can lead to some serious side effects like low blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and loss of consciousness. By sitting inside the misting tents, athletes can cool their core body temperature to regular levels.
Providing misting tents to the high schools’ athletic programs is just one way that Piedmont Newnan is doing all it can to keep local students safe. The hospital’s donation was also used to replace 10 of the school system’s original AEDs, purchased between 2003-2006 for Coweta’s elementary, middle and high schools. Along with the new AED devices, the school system purchased seven AED wall cabinets. Currently, Coweta County Schools have at least one AED in every elementary school in the system, at least two in every middle school, and at least three in every high school, as well as AEDs in school administrative buildings, including the new transportation facility and the Nixon Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. Since 2007, in Georgia schools, there have been 122 saves (63 adults and 59 students) with the use of AED devices.
“Piedmont Newnan is committed to the health and safety of the community and these misting tents and AED devices help keep students safe both on and off the field,” said Piedmont Newnan CEO Mike Robertson.
The funds donated by Piedmont-Newnan were made available through Piedmont Newnan Hospital’s community benefit program and will directly make a positive impact on the health of students.
For more information about services provided by Piedmont Newnan Hospital, visit piedmont.org/newnan.