Community Corner

Kids and Cars are a Dangerous Combination in Extreme Heat

Disaster can occur within a very short time frame.

Kids and cars can be a dangerous combination especially when heat is involved. 
Just last week a toddler needed medical attention after being left in a car at Parx Casino.
The National Weather Service has extended its Excessive Heat Warning through Friday, and its forecast calls for high temps in the upper 90s all week. 
There are things you can do, says AAA Mid-Atlantic to make sure the children you care about are safe in a car in the heat:

Never leave a child alone in a car – even with the windows partially opened– as a vehicle’s interior can still heat up quickly to deadly temperatures.

Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away.  Children have died because they fell asleep in their car seats and their parents didn’t realize they were still in the car.

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* If your spouse or a guardian is taking your children to day care, ask him or her to call you to make sure the drop-off went according to plan.

Do things to remind you that a child is in the vehicle:

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Leave a written note in your vehicle where you will see it

Place your purse, briefcase or something else in the back seat to remind you to check that area when you leave the vehicle.

Keep an object in your child’s car seat, such as a stuffed toy, as a reminder that a child is in the back seat. 

Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle – teach them that a car is not a play area; always lock your car doors and keep car keys out of children’s reach.

If a child has spent a prolonged amount of time in a hot vehicle and appears to be showing signs of heat distress, call 911 immediately for medical assistance.  Cool the child as quickly as possible by applying cool water to the skin and/or ice packs under the armpits and groin area while waiting for help.

Source: AAA Mid-Atlantic


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