Heatstroke Prevention Tips!

July 31st is National Heatstroke Prevention Day and boy, I will say if there is one thing that always boggles my mind it’s when I hear of a baby or pet left in a hot car!  What in the world are people thinking?!  Especially here in Texas! It seems absolutely incredulous to me that I would need to actually share these tips – what happened to common sense?!

Did you know?
· In 2013 alone, 44 children in the United States lost their lives after being left in unattended motor vehicles.
· More than half (52%) of kids who died from vehicular heatstroke were “forgotten” by their caregiver
· A child’s temp can heat up to 5 times faster than an adult’s on a hot day
· Studies show that when the temperature outside is 90 degrees the temperature inside a parked car can rise to 109 degrees in 10 minutes, 119 degrees in 20 minutes and 124 degrees in 30 minutes.  

As summer temperatures rise, here are a few simple tips for parents and childcare providers to keep kids safe inside of vehicles:

1. Never leave infants or children alone in a parked car, even if the windows are partially open

2. Make sure the safety seat and safety belt buckles aren’t too hot before securing a child in a restraint system

3. Don’t ever leave sleeping infants in the car

4. Be sure to check the front and back seats of a vehicle before locking it and walking away

5. Lock your car when you’re not in it, so kids can’t get in on their own