BYSTANDERS HELP CHILDREN LEFT ALONE IN HOT CAR

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July 12, 2014 (La Mesa)—A 9-month-old baby and a 4-year old child were left unattended inside a locked car at Grossmont Center on Friday afternoon amid sweltering heat.  Bystanders called 911 and were able to get the 4-year-old to unlock the door by the time Heartland Fire & Rescue crew arrived. The mother said she had been gone only five minutes; paramedics evaluated the children and released them  to their father.

Heartland Fire has issued the following reminder to parents about the importance of taking precautions to protect children from heat stroke by taking the following steps:

*   Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle – even if the windows are partially open or the engine is running and the air conditioning is on;

*   Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away;

*   Ask the childcare provider to call if the child doesn't show up for care as expected;

*   Do things that serve as a reminder that a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a purse or briefcase in the back seat to ensure no child is accidentally left in the vehicle, or writing a note or using a stuffed animal placed in the driver's view to indicate a child is in the car seat; and

*   Teach children that a vehicle is not a play area and store keys out of a child's reach.



In addition, Heartland Fire urges community members who see a child, the elderly, or a pet alone in a hot vehicle to immediately call 911 or the local emergency number. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled.

 


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