Kids and cars feeling the heat

This time of year as the sun starts peeking out from behind the clouds and the temperatures start to rise, another trend also goes on the rise. While families should be creating memories of summer, all too often it is interrupted by news stories of children being left in vehicles, usually with very tragic endings. With summer officially right around the corner and the temperatures outside already beginning to soar, you need to plan now to make sure your children stay safe.

When a child is left in a hot car it is almost always an accident resulting from several different scenarios. Summer arrives, schools get out and routines change. Perhaps you took your child to daycare that day when your spouse usually does. Along the way, the child fell asleep and you headed to the office and started your day like you do every other day without a second thought. Perhaps it’s the weekend and your kids are engaged in a playful round of hide and seek. One of the kids climbs into an unlocked vehicle parked in the neighbor’s driveway thinking it’s a good hiding place and end up locked in a trunk without anyone knowing.

It is very easy for little mistakes to be made as everyone switches from school mode to summer mode and it takes just minutes for that “little” mistake to turn into tragedy. It only takes 10 minutes for the temperature inside an enclosed vehicle to rise 20 degrees. Even in temperatures as low as 60 degrees, the interior can raise the temperature inside the car up to 110 degrees.

Rolling down or cracking a window does not make it safe. When the outside temperature is in the mid 80’s, the interior can still reach deadly levels in minutes. Add the fact that children’s body temperatures can rise three to five times faster than an adult means they don’t have a fighting chance.

Remember to always keep all doors and trunks to your vehicle locked even if you are at home. If the car is accessible in an open garage, parked in a driveway or on the curb, it can be an attractive hiding place or fort for playing children without you ever knowing.

Then National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also recommends the following tips to help you and others ensure your child never gets left behind in a vehicle.

• Teach your children that a vehicle is not a play area.
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle - front and back - before locking the door and walking away.
• If you are dropping your child off at childcare, and normally it's your spouse who drops them off, have your spouse call you to make sure the drop went according to plan.
• Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child does not show up for childcare.
• Do things to remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle, such as writing yourself a note and putting it where you will see it before you leave the vehicle; placing your purse, briefcase or something else you need in the back seat forcing your to check when you leave the vehicle; or keeping an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she is leaving the vehicle.

You can take the steps to prevent tragedy during these hot Texas summer months. Take the word and pass it along – never leave a child unattended in a vehicle and if you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly and call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Get prepared with the NHTSA’s “Keeping Kids Safe Inside & Out” with all of their heat safety tips!

Learn about the dangers of heat related injury and illness from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Extreme Heat: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety

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The heat is on! Are you ready?

Right now can be an exciting time of year as school gets out, family summer vacations begin, and everyone flocks to the neighborhood swimming pool for a little relief from the heat. While summer officially starts on June 21, the fun and sun are already here. Lots of sun.

In recent years, excessive heat has caused more deaths than all other weather events, including floods. Heat related injuries such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion can happen quickly and are very dangerous. You and your family need to make sure you know the difference between these potentially life threatening conditions and what advisories to listen for in the weather forecasts so that you can plan ahead for extreme conditions.

A heat wave is typically a prolonged period of excessive heat often combined with excessive humidity. During a heat wave, temperatures are generally 10 degrees or more above the average high temperature for a region, lasting for a long period of time. Here are a few weather advisory terms you want to familiarize yourself with as things heat up.

• Heat Index – The temperature the body feels when the effects of heat and humidity are combined. Exposure to direct sunlight can increase the heat index by as much as 15° F.
• Heat Advisory – Heat Index values are forecast to meet locally defined advisory criteria for 1 to 2 days (daytime highs=100-105° Fahrenheit).
• Excessive Heat Watch – Conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event to meet or exceed local Excessive Heat Warning criteria in the next 24 to 72 hours.
• Excessive Heat Warning—Heat Index values are forecast to meet or exceed locally defined warning criteria for at least 2 days (daytime highs=105-110° Fahrenheit).

When these advisories are issued, it is often recommended to slow down, stay indoors and limit or avoid strenuous outdoor activities. This is especially good advice during the hottest part of the day which typically occurs during the late afternoon and early evening hours. Other ways to protect yourself include:

• Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol which can actually cause you to lose more body fluid.
• Eat small meals and eat more often.
• Avoid extreme temperature changes.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light colored clothing. Avoid dark colors because they absorb the sun’s rays.
• Take frequent breaks if you must work outdoors.

If your job or daily activities require you to be outdoors in extreme heat, it is imperative that you understand and know the warning signs of heat related injury and illness. If you notice any of the symptoms in yourself or someone else, immediate action must be taken.

• Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms that usually occur in the legs or abdomen caused by exposure to high heat and humidity and loss of fluids and electrolytes. Heat cramps are often an early sign that the body is having trouble with the heat.
• Heat exhaustion typically involves the loss of body fluids through heavy sweating during strenuous exercise or physical labor in high heat and humidity. Signs of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale or flushed skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea; dizziness; weakness; and exhaustion.
• Heat stroke (also known as sunstroke) is a life-threatening condition in which a person’s temperature control system stops working and the body is unable to cool itself. Signs of heat stroke include hot, red skin which may be dry or moist; changes in consciousness; vomiting; and high body temperature. Heat stroke is life-threatening. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately.

At the first sign of any heat related injury or illness, the first priority is to move to a cooler place, remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths or towels to the skin. If the person is conscious, give small amounts of cool water to drink and make sure the person drinks slowly. Watch for changes in condition and if the person refuses water, vomits or begins to lose consciousness, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

As in many dangerous situations, the “buddy system” is always a good idea. When working or involved in outdoor activities, have someone with you and watch out for each other. Get to know your neighbors and regularly check in on those that are that are at higher risk when the temperatures climb such as elderly people (65 years and older), infants and children and people with chronic medical conditions.

Lastly, schedules and routines often change as summer kicks off so be sure you add any extra reminders to prevent leaving your child or pet in a hot car. Remember, animals and children should never be left unattended in a vehicle for any period of time.

Get Red Cross Ready now with our Heat Wave Safety Checklist!

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on Extreme Heat: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety

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On The Road: Severe weather doesn't yield, you should!

Getting caught in severe weather in the middle of rush hour is a very real nightmare that could happen to us anytime and anywhere. Even when traffic is light, this is a very scary situation, one you need to plan for as much as you do at home or at work. Here are some things to keep in mind if you are caught on the road when disaster closes in on you.

• If you are driving, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.
• Do not park under overpasses during severe weather. It can make you harder to see and someone could easily crash into your vehicle. In a tornado, an underpass is one of the most dangerous places you can be.
• If you are outside and cannot reach a safe building, avoid high ground; water; tall, isolated trees; and metal objects such as fences or bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts and sheds are NOT safe.
• Keep all emergency contact information on you at all times including local police and fire, your family, and your out-of-town family contact from your family communication plan.
• In case roads are closed or inaccessible, take time now to learn alternate routes and ways to get where you need to go. There are often multiple ways to reach a destination.
• Keep a local map with you in case you need to walk or take another form of transportation.
• While commuting, carry with you a small flashlight, dust mask and a pair of protective gloves. Keep an emergency kit in your car that includes a weather radio, flashlight, extra batteries, water, non-perishable food, emergency blanket, and first aid kit and emergency signals such as flares or a signaling flag.

If you cannot quickly walk to a shelter immediately get into a vehicle, buckle your seat belt and try to drive to the closest sturdy structure. If flying debris occurs while you are driving, pull over and park. Now you have the following options as a last resort:

• Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows, covering with your hands and a blanket if possible.
• If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway, exit your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands.

Keep your radio tuned to a local station at all times to stay updated on all the current weather in your area. Drive slow and stay aware of the changing conditions around you.

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