With temperatures rising, the Waco Police Department wants to remind the public about the dangers of leaving any one locked in a hot car.
The police department put thermometers in cars to show how hot it can get Thursday afternoon.
In 2017, there have been nine hot car related deaths in the United States. Three of those were in Texas.
“A child's temperature rises three to five times quicker than adults,” Waco Police Officer Sofie Martinez said. “Children, especially infants and toddlers, they’re unable to unbuckle themselves out of the car seats and unlock a door and get out of a car. Whereas an older child or an adult can do that.”
The thermometer the police department showed in a matter of 40 minutes, the temperature of the car rose from 137 degrees to 159 degrees.
“We’re doing this to not only prevent a tragedy of a child dying from heat stroke, but also, too, we don’t want a parents to have to go through this kind of ordeal,” Martinez said.
The Texas Heat Stroke Task Force seeks to prevent heat stroke tragedies from happening.
Johnny Humphreys, Chair of Texas Heat Stroke Task Force, explained it’s important for people to take the steps to prevent heat-related tragedies.
Those steps include:
- Avoid heatstroke-related injuries: Never leave your child alone in the car and always lock the car.
- Create a reminder: a cell phone, briefcase or purse.
- Take action: if you see a child in a hot car, call 911.
“We’re just really beginning the hot summer months,” Humphreys said. “The highest months with incidents are June, July and August.”
Local doctors also want to warn parents of how hot playgrounds and splash pads can get in the Texas summer heat.
“Even though your kids might be playing out in the jungle gym, the park, or at the pool, all sorts of different surfaces are prone to becoming too hot and causing scalding injuries,” Dr. Mazhar Khan, a family physician with the Baylor Scott & White clinic in Bellmead, said.
In the summer months, local doctors see more and more people for heat related injuries. Burns are part of that.
"Typically you want to watch out for the hands the rest of the body areas. If the surface remains hot, red and angry looking even a few hours after the burn incident has taken place, parents should definitely take themselves or their kids to the emergency room for an evaluation,” Dr. Kahn said.
Dr. Kahn also recommends dressing comfortably in light colors, staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen to protect from the UV rays.
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