Canton Fire Department Provides Hot Car Safety Tips

CANTON — With temperatures expected to reach into the 90s over the next few days, Chief Charles E. Doody would like to inform Canton residents of the dangers of leaving individuals in hot cars and provide tips to prevent anyone from being harmed.

In the United States, 37 children die in hot cars every year, according statistics from the website noheatstroke.org. Several pets also die annually trapped in hot cars.

“No one should ever leave a child, pet, elderly person or any other individual inside a hot car for any amount of time, especially when temperatures are in the 90s,” said Chief Doody. “Even if it’s 60 degrees outside, the temperature can increase inside of a vehicle dramatically in only a matter of minutes.”

Incidents of death from heatstroke are at their height between Memorial Day and Labor Day, however children can die trapped in cars in other months as well.

Heatstroke is classified as when a person’s core body temperature rises to 104 degrees Fahrenheit; a temperature of 107 degrees can result in irreversible organ damage or death. Young children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, thus putting them at higher risk.

A majority of those who die in hot cars do so because parents forget them in their vehicle. Temperatures inside a vehicle can rise nearly 20 degrees in 10 minutes, and as time goes on, the temperature will continue to rise.

According to noheatstroke.org:

87% of children who die are 3 years old or younger
54% are forgotten in a vehicle
27% are playing in an unattended vehicle
18% are intentionally left in a vehicle by an adult

Here are five recommendations from Safe Kids Worldwide to keep everyone safe:

If you see a child or pet alone in a car, call 911
Never leave a child or pet alone in a car, not even for a minute
Keep your car locked when you are not in it, otherwise kids may gain access and become trapped
Put something in the back seat next to your child, such as a briefcase, purse, cell phone, or one of your shoes so you do not forget them
Set an alert on your electronic device to make sure you dropped your child off at daycare and develop a plan to be notified if your child is late or a no-show

If you see a child left in a car, take action immediately. Do not wait for the driver to return or assume that they will be back soon. If the child appears to be in distress, attempt to get them out of the car immediately and dial 911.

Pets should also not be left alone in hot cars. According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA-Angell), pets suffer needlessly when left in hot cars, even on moderately warm days.

Anyone who has questions about hot car safety should contact the Fire Prevention Division at 781-575-6654 extension 3104.

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Canton Fire Department Provides Hot Car Safety Tips

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