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Last Updated: Nov 14, 2008 - 12:49:26 PM |
The temperature will soar into the upper 90s today, with the humidity up as well. The need for constant hydration is a must, as well as limiting your exposure to the heat. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke can occur simply due to exposure to the present conditions; add to this being inside of a non-running vehicle, and the results can be fatal. You may say, “I’m only going to be inside the store for a minute,” but the reality is that any amount of time that your child or pet stays in a non-running vehicle is too long. Studies have been done to show that temperatures inside of a vehicle, on a day like today, can quickly rise to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. No one’s body can withstand this without detrimental effects.
I’ll remind you of a call that Engine 1 responded to a number of years ago where her friends had locked a young girl in the trunk of a car (some friends). On our arrival, the mother met us and told us that her daughter was in the trunk, and added that the car was a rental, and that her husband would be home with the keys in twenty minutes, if we could wait. We immediately opened the trunk and found that the young girl had stripped down to her underwear. Her skin was red, and she was probably in that transition from heat exhaustion to heat stroke.
Thankfully, I have not had to respond to nor have I heard about incidents in our area where children or pets have been injured due to being left in a hot vehicle this summer. I hope that this means that each of you have been doing the right thing. Near misses in this category are unacceptable. If I could let you hear it from parents who have lost children in this way, I can guarantee that you would never let it happen again. Slow down, take a breath, and make sure that you haven’t left your children in the car. Life can become so chaotic that you could forget. Look out for your children and your pets!
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