MCSO says look twice before you lock up

MINERAL COUNTY - Kids in hot cars are a deadly combination. Whether intentional or accidental, these deaths are preventable, which makes it all the more tragic. Here are some helpful tips to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Remember: Never leave a child alone in a parked car, even with the windows rolled down, or air conditioning on. Children’s body temperature can heat up three to five times faster than adults. A core temperature of 107 is lethal.

Always look in both the front and back of the vehicle before locking the door and walking way.

Heatstroke can occur in temperatures as low as 57 degrees. On an 80-degree day, temperatures inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.

Never let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them a vehicle is not a play area.

Always lock your vehicle doors and trunk and keep the keys out of a child’s reach.

If a child is missing, quickly check all vehicles, including the trunk.

The heatstroke warning signs vary, but may include:

Red, hot, and moist or dry skin

No sweating

A strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse

A throbbing headache

Dizziness

Nausea

Confusion

Being grouchy or acting strangely

If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle:

Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly, by spraying them with cool water or a garden hose. NEVER use an ice bath.

Remember: kids in hot cars are a deadly combination. Don’t take the chance. Look before you lock.

Additional Resources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - www.safercar.gov/heatstroke;

San Francisco State University, Department of Earth & Climate Studies www.ggweather.com/heat/;

Safe Kids - www.safekids.org; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia - www.chop.edu.