Wayne McGahee III | Tallahassee Democrat

Wayne McGahee III, Tallahassee Democrat

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — For football players, the Florida heat can be deadly.

The heat index during the first week of Florida State football practice was over 100 degrees at times, and Friday's heat index reached as high as 109 degrees while the Seminoles were practicing.

That’s why programs like Florida State are always trying new things to expand on heat safety.

The latest addition to the Seminoles’ heat safety prevention and recovery procedures is what FSU football head athletic trainer Jake Pfeil refers to as “the recovery box.”

The box is a standard shipping container that everyone sees rolling down the highway on the back of a semi every day. There are two of them, and they sit beside the entrance to the Dunlap Indoor Practice Facility on FSU’s practice fields.

These boxes are kept at 18 degrees inside and feature benches all along the walls. Players go into the box and sit in the cold while hydrating.

"We already know how to cool somebody off if they're entering a heat emergency. But how do we do it to a bunch of people at once?" Pfeil said. "And how do we hopefully prevent it to a bunch of people at once? So this is a pretty basic idea.

“A guy in Louisiana, a company called Boudreaux Recovery Systems, came up with this idea for addressing it for large amounts of people. And he started spreading the word last year.”

Wayne McGahee III/Democrat

Before they had the recovery box, trainers would combat dehydration and heat issues, but they would have to do it with each individual. The result was that it took longer for the results of their efforts to take effect.

The trainers still have their hands full while working with over 100 players, but the use of the recovery box makes dealing with heat issues that much easier.

“We know it works without even needing hardcore data on,” Pfeil said.

“We already had in place, if somebody is entering a heat illness situation, we're going to take that person, cold water immersion, monitor their core temperature. We can do that easily for one person. But if I have a group of 10 guys that are starting to struggle, we can put them in this box, and it's going to drastically reduce their core temperature. It works.”

FSU isn’t the only school using the facilities across the South. LSU, Alabama and Clemson, along with a few others, are also using the recovery box to help deal with heat issues.

When Pfeil first pitched the idea to FSU coach Willie Taggart last summer, Taggart immediately approved it despite the price tag.

The units are rented and cost $15,000 a month, though that does include delivery, pickup and maintenance.

“I took it to him because obviously it's a football purpose device, and we're going to use football funds to pay for it,” Pfeil said.

“He understood that it is for the player’s safety and also ultimately going to help us in player performance in practice on these really hot days. So there's really not a tough decision.”

Heat-related injuries have been in the spotlight for decades, but the magnifying glass was really put on programs last year following the death of Maryland football player Jordan McNair, who died two weeks after suffering a heatstroke during a workout on May 29, 2018.

The end result was the firing of almost the entire coaching and training staff at Maryland after it was determined they didn’t take proper action and precautions during the workout, according to multiple reports.

Wayne McGahee III/Democrat

FSU doesn’t just use the recovery box when there are heat emergencies. The Seminoles have a break scheduled during every practice where the team goes to the boxes and hydrates before returning to practice.

"We take proactive measures to make sure our players have the best possible support in all areas," Taggart said.

"Dealing with the heat is an unavoidable reality this time of year, and these trailers offer us a huge benefit in terms of preventative measures during practices as well as quickly addressing a potential situation. They are a valuable piece of our commitment to the safety of our players."

The break lasts about five minutes, but that’s enough time for the players to lower their core temperatures, which keeps them away from the danger zones that could be the start of heat emergencies.

This simple step in the middle of practice, along with the use of the recovery boxes, make a difference in the health and attitude of the players.

“As soon as they come out, they got a different look on their face, they're more energized,” Pfeil said.

“They're refreshed. And now you're ready for the grinding part of practice.”

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