How to Join National Stay Cool Day

3 steps to join

1. 1
   Sign up your school

   Use the free signup form. Tell us your school or organization, who we should contact and how to reach you. That puts your school on the map for April 8.

2. 2
   Name one campus coordinator

   Pick one person to lead the day — often the athletic trainer or athletic director. That person gathers staff, sets the plan and keeps the school’s heat tools ready.

3. 3
   Prep with the free tools

   Build your heat emergency action plan, Heat Rules Card and 14-day acclimatization schedule in your browser. On April 8 at 2:00 PM Eastern, sites with athletic trainer coverage take part in the three-minute ice-bath world record attempt. Elementary schools teach Spot It, Say It, Cool It — with no ice tubs at that level.

How can my school join National Stay Cool Day?

Sign up on the National Stay Cool Day website. The form asks for your school or organization, a contact name, email and phone. It is free, takes about two minutes and does not lock you into a headcount. After you submit, name a campus coordinator and start the free planning tools so your staff is ready for April 8, 2027.

National Stay Cool Day school participation

Any K–12 school, college, youth league or community program can take part. Participation means a heat-safety day on campus: Cool First education, a written plan and — only where a certified athletic trainer is on site — the three-minute ice-bath attempt at 2:00 PM Eastern on April 8, 2027. Elementary (K–6) programs use classroom and P.E. activities with no ice tubs. Fundraising is always optional.

How do I participate in National Stay Cool Day events?

Register your school or program, choose a point person and plan a short session around recognizing exertional heat stroke and cooling before transport. On April 8, 2027, follow the participation instructions you receive after signup. Sites with athletic trainer coverage enter ice baths for three minutes at 2:00 PM Eastern as part of the national record attempt; other sites still run the education and plan rehearsal.

Browser-based heat safety tools that protect school data

National Stay Cool Day’s free tools run in your web browser. Nothing you type in these tools is sent to us. We do collect anonymous page-visit analytics. There is no account and no student roster to upload. Open the free heat safety tools for schools, including the Emergency Action Plan Builder, Heat Rules Card and 14-Day Acclimatization Schedule.

How does National Stay Cool Day help with emergency planning?

The free Emergency Action Plan Builder walks you through venues, people and backups, equipment, heat conditions and cooling steps, including what to do if more than one athlete goes down at once. You download a plan with your school’s name on every page, ready to post, share with local EMS and rehearse. The rule behind every plan: cool first, transport second. Call 911 right away, while cooling starts.

Where can I access National Stay Cool Day resources?

Start at School Heat Resources for the three free builders plus printable sideline cards (emergency protocol, warning signs, heat-ready checklist and stop signals). The free school heat safety program page shows how to adopt the full set in one afternoon. For the Cool First overview, see Heat Safety.

Schools that have finished a heat emergency plan can use the Heat Plan Check — a self-attested mark that says completed, not certified.

Does National Stay Cool Day offer heat safety training?

Yes — free heat-safety education and planning materials for coaches, athletic trainers and school staff. Use the free school heat safety program, the browser tools above and the Heat Safety page to learn the warning signs and the first moves. These materials are for planning and education. They do not replace medical advice; your team physician or medical director should approve medical steps.