National Heatstroke Prevention Day!

Today is National Heatstroke Prevention Day!

Did you know?

· Last year 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