Prevent Hot Car Deaths: Look Before You Lock

It's July, and temperatures are soaring in Illinois. As the weather heats up, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is urging residents to be mindful, and to take steps to prevent hot car deaths. Each year, an average of 37 children die from heatstroke after being left in hot cars, and 17 have died so far in 2017. As part of Heat Safety Awareness Month in Illinois, the IEMA is offering heat safety tips for parents.

“No one should ever be left in a parked car, even for a short time,” said IEMA Director James Joseph. “Temperatures inside a parked vehicle can rapidly rise to dangerous levels even if the windows are open slightly, and can lead to brain damage or death.”

Joseph said heat effects can be more severe on children because their bodies warm at a faster rate than adults. He encouraged parents to develop habits that will ensure the backseat is always checked before the car is locked, such as putting a purse, cell phone or other needed item in the back seat or making it a routine to open the car’s back door every time the car is parked. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Bolingbrook news. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

“We experience hot and humid conditions several times during the summer in Illinois. The combination of this heat and humidity can reach dangerous levels, particularly for those spending time outdoors in direct sunlight and in buildings without air conditioning,” said Chris Miller, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln. “Illnesses and fatalities due to heat are preventable. Never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle; look before you lock your automobile.”

The IEMA offers the following hot weather tips:

• Always lock car doors and trunks, even at home, and keep keys out of children's reach.
• Stay hydrated by drinking at least 1½ to 2 quarts of fluids daily, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages and drinks containing caffeine.
• Avoid overexertion and strenuous outdoor activities if possible.
• Take advantage of cooling centers, public pools and air-conditioned stores and malls during periods of extreme heat. Even a few hours a day in air conditioning can help prevent heat-related illnesses.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors who do not have air conditioning and who spend much of their time alone.
• Don’t forget your pets. Offer pets extra water and place the water bowl in a shaded area if outdoors. Make sure pets have a shady refuge where they can escape direct sun exposure.
• If you or someone around you begins experiencing dizziness, nausea, headache, confusion and a rapid pulse, seek medical attention immediate, as these could be the symptoms of heatstroke.

Patch file photo