H. Con. Res. 296 
Agreed to September 22, 2008
One Hundred Tenth Congress 
of the 
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and eight 
Concurrent Resolution 
Whereas heat stroke is a medical emergency that can be fatal 
if not properly and promptly treated, and 50 percent of those 
with heat stroke die from it; 
Whereas children absorb more heat from a hot environment because 
they have greater surface area-to-body mass ratio than adults; 
Whereas the smaller the child, the faster he or she can overheat; 
Whereas children and adolescents may have a reduced ability to 
dissipate heat through sweating; 
Whereas children and adolescents frequently do not have the physio-
logical drive to drink enough fluids to replenish sweat losses 
during prolonged exercise; 
Whereas youth athletes may be more easily distracted by team-
mates and spectators when given the opportunity to rest and 
rehydrate; 
Whereas a recent study found that 70 percent of afterschool athletes 
arrive on the playing field already dehydrated; 
Whereas heat-induced illness is one of the most preventable sports 
ailments and parents, young athletes, and coaches need to under-
stand the physiological factors that increase the risk for heat- 
related illness and take steps to prevent it; 
Whereas 13-year-old Kendrick Fincher from Rogers, Arkansas, col-
lapsed during an August pre-season football practice, was rushed 
to the hospital, and for the next 18 days his family waited 
anxiously for him to regain consciousness, tragically never 
regained consciousness, and died on August 25, 1995, from multi- 
system organ failure as a result of heat stroke; 
Whereas Kendrick’s parents, Rhonda and Mike Fincher, founded 
the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation in honor of their 
son, with the aim to raise awareness of the potentially deadly 
consequences of dehydration for student athletes and to provide 
schools with the information and equipment needed to ensure 
other students do not suffer from heat stroke; 
Whereas the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation has distrib-
uted more than 130,000 water bottles and heat illness prevention 
pamphlets to children and athletes throughout the United States; 
Whereas the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation oversees con-
sultation with school district athletic programs to ensure they 
have procedures in place to prevent heat illness and dehydration; 
Whereas the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation provides heat 
stroke awareness and steps for prevention at local health fairs,
H. Con. Res. 296—2 
community events, and the Annual Youth Run through ‘‘cool 
huts’’, misting stations, and free ice water; 
Whereas Gatorade Company joined forces with the National Foot-
ball League to lead a nationwide ‘‘Beat the Heat’’ campaign 
aimed at educating parents and football coaches about the impor-
tance of hydration in order to keep athletes safe in the hot 
summer months; and 
Whereas Gatorade Company and the National Football League 
held Gatorade Donation Days at training camps to raise money 
to raise awareness of the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concur-
ring), That— 
(1) it is the sense of Congress that— 
(A) National Heat Stroke Awareness Month provides 
an opportunity to educate the people of the United States 
about heat stroke; 
(B) the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation should 
be applauded for its efforts in promoting awareness about 
heat stroke; and 
(C) policymakers, parents, coaches, student athletes, 
not-for-profit organizations, and other members of the 
community should work to increase awareness and preven-
tion of heat stroke; and 
(2) Congress urges national and community organizations, 
businesses in the private sector, and the media, through 
National Heat Stroke Awareness Month to promote the aware-
ness of heat stroke. 
Attest: 
Clerk of the House of Representatives. 
Attest: 
Secretary of the Senate.