Don't Leave Children in Hot Cars!Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths in children younger than 15.
Heatstroke occurs when the body is not able to cool itself quickly enough. The heat level inside a closed, park car can quickly increase 20 degrees in just 10 minutes! A child can die when its body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
More than 1,000 children have died in hot cars since 1990. To see the latest information, visit this link. Deaths routinely are reported as early as April and tragedies continue into December in southern states.
Heatstroke can happen when a child is left alone inside a car on 57-degree day. - HealthyChildren.org
Tips to Help You Remember Your Baby is On Board!
1) Place an object you need in your backseat as a forced reminder to open the rear vehicle door. Experts suggest something you have to get to leave the car, perhaps your shoe, work badge, backpack, lunch or even your cell phone. If you are committed to not leaving without this item and you place it in the backseat with your child, you will always take that last look to make sure everyone is where he/she is supposed to be!
2) Place a large stuffed animal in the passenger seat or up front in the car with you. The animal will serve as a reminder that you have a passenger onboard. The stuffed animal is ONLY up front when the child is in the backseat.
3) Make it routine to open the rear door to your vehicle each time you exit. By making it part of your normal checklist routine to visually check the backseat of your vehicle, you will become conditioned to make sure your child is not left in a hot car.
4) Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child hasn't arrived as scheduled. This is another layer of protection. Safety works better when we are all working together. We all get busy, but allowing others to help keeps us on track and may save your little one's life. If your childcare provider or another person familiar with your routine schedule notices your child is not present, give them permission to call you and make sure your are on your routine schedule that day and that you have the child and did not go to work or to an appointment and leave the baby rather than dropping the child off where he/she should be.
5) Keep keys and remote door openers out of children's reach. On occasion children think of creative places to play. We've all wanted to be an adult and drive. Make sure to keep keys safely away from children to ensure they don't accidentally lock themselves in a car without an adult realizing they are missing until it is too late.
6) Take added precautions when your schedule changes to prevent distraction from being the reason a child is left unattended. When your routine changes, it can throw off your mo-jo and that can lead to missing a step. We don't want that step to be the crucial step of taking your child out of their car seat and into a cooled environment or into the air where he/she is safe. If you have an out-of-routine appointment, consider setting a reminder on your cell phone calendar for two to five minutes after your scheduled arrival time. (If you are like most, you will get a 30-minute reminder before the alert is set to go off, preventing you from forgetting the child in the rear of the vehicle.)
Pet Safety During the Warm Summer Months
Never leave your furry friend alone in a parked vehicle. In just minutes, an animal can suffer severe damage or die. In the state of Nevada people are prohibited from leaving cats or dogs unattended in parked or standing vehicles during a period of extreme heat or cold or in any other manner that endangers the health or safety of the cat or dog per NRS 574.195.
Signs of Heatstroke in Animals:
- Excessive panting or difficulty breathing
- Increased heart and respiratory rate
- Drooling
- Mild weakness
- Stupor
- Collapse
- Temperature in excess of 104 degrees
- Seizures
- Bloody diarrhea
- Vomiting
source: - ASPCA.org
What should you do if you see a dog or a child left in a hot car?
- Step 1- Write down the vehicle's make, model and license plate number. If there are businesses nearby, have them page the owner to return to the vehicle and unlock their pet or child.
- Step 2- If the owner can't be found, call the local police agency's non-emergency line to alert them to the situation. Wait for emergency officials to arrive so the animal or child is never left alone.
- In the state of Nevada, it is illegal to break the window of a vehicle to rescue a dog unless you are a police officer or animal control officer. Breaking the car window should be your absolute last choice to save the animal.
However, if you see a child in a hot car it is legal to break the window to rescue the child and you are protected under the state’s Good Samaritan Law.