Chief's Corner: Bradenton Fire Department

Data from the nonprofit organization Kids and Car Safety shows that, as of July, there have been ten hot car fatalities involving a child in the United States this year. Four of those fatalities were in Florida.

These tragedies can occur in vehicles parked in shaded areas and when temperatures do not seem extreme. A vehicle can trap heat so efficiently that interior temperatures can climb 20 degrees in minutes. Consumer Reports testing on a 61-degree day revealed that a vehicle’s interior temperature can reach 105 degrees within an hour. As children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults, confinement in a vehicle with rapidly increasing temperatures can have devastating effects.

These deaths are heartbreaking, but they are also preventable.

Ensure children cannot access a parked vehicle.

Lock your vehicle when not in use, whether you have a child or not, and never leave keys within reach of children.

Never leave a child alone in a vehicle.

Even if you think you’ll only be a minute, the windows are down, or the weather is relatively cool. When driving with a child, use a reminder to check the backseat before walking away. This could be a visual cue, such as a diaper bag or child’s item placed on the front passenger seat, or leaving a needed item in the back seat. Some newer vehicles are equipped with backseat passenger reminder technology, and other vehicles can be fitted with a reminder system (search “rear seat reminder system” for options).

Take action if you see a child alone in a vehicle.

Call 911 immediately and, if the child seems hot, sick, or in distress, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.

Please join us in taking steps to prevent any further losses.

Hot car facts and safety tips from Kids and Car Safety available at kidsandcars.org