Cherokee Sheriff: Help Protect Children From Heatstroke

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Hot summer days have contributed to more than 23 child deaths so far this year in the United States as a result of heatstroke, which can happen when kids are unattended in cars. July 31 is National Heatstroke Prevention Day, and Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services wants to remind caregivers to never leave children alone in a vehicle, and if you see a child alone in a car, call 911.

Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. It occurs when the body can’t cool itself quickly enough and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels. Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. Since 1998, more than 790 children across the United States have died of heatstroke when alone in a vehicle.

The most recent cases of children dying by heatstroke nationwide happened July 26 when 7-month-old twins, a boy and a girl, died after being inside a hot car all day in the Bronx, NY. They were allegedly forgotten by their father when he went to work. The temperature was 86 degrees, thus the inside air temperature of the car would have been in excess of 130 degrees.

"A car can heat up 19 degrees in 10 minutes. And cracking a window doesn’t help,” said Lisa Grisham, Senior Fire Safety Educator with the fire department. “Heatstroke can happen anytime, anywhere. We don’t want to see this happen to any family. That’s why Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services and Safe Kids Cherokee County is asking everyone to help protect kids from this very preventable tragedy by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute.”

Together, we can cut down the number of deaths and near misses by remembering to ACT:

• A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not inside so kids don’t get in on their own.
• C: Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’scar seat when it’s empty, and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Or place and secure your phone, briefcase, or purse in the back seat when traveling with your child.
• T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

For more information on preventing child heatstroke deaths, visit www.safekids.org/heatstroke . Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services is the Lead Agency of Safe Kids Cherokee County.