It is NEVER ok or safe to leave a toddler, disabled person or pet locked in a car throughout all seasons. Cars tend to heat up faster when left unattended in the sun.
Summers in North America are hot. Sometimes fall and spring temperatures can reach dangerous levels as well. In one or more parts of the United States experience heat waves in the summer. One of the leading weather-related killers is caused by heat in the US, leading to hundreds of fatalities each year.
Read below about the health dangers of heat and how to prepare yourself during excessive heat events.
Its important to understand the dangers of leaving children, disabled people and pets alone in a car even for a few minutes. Children locked in cars have died from hypothermia in December in 70-degree weather, even with a window left open a little. Follow these guidelines to beat the heat:
- Drink plenty of water.
- Stay in the shade.
- Avoid strenuous activity.
- Try to stay in cool air-conditioning.
- Check on neighbors.
- Never leave children, pets, disabled people in vehicles for any amount of time!
- Wear loose clothing.
Prepare yourself
- Keep your home cool by:
-Weather-strip windows and doors.
-Add insulation to keep the heat out.
-Use window reflectors.
-Cover windows with shapes or drapes.
-Install window air conditioners.
-Use attic fans to clear warm air.
- Find places in your community where you can get cool.
- Learn to understand the signs of heart-related illness.
