The heat index is expected to peak in the mid-90s in the Northwoods in the next two days.
Heat is attributed to roughly 2,000 deaths annually in the U.S.
Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. At least 20 children in the U.S. have died this year after being left in a hot car.
Aspirus Health strongly advises all caregivers to never leave children alone in a vehicle, even for a moment.
If you see a child alone in a car, call 911 immediately.
“Cracking a window doesn't help as much as people think that it will. It doesn't do all that much to lower the temperature in a vehicle. The best practice is to make sure you don't leave any kids or pets in a vehicle unattended, even for a minute,” said Amanda Tabin, the Safe Kids & Injury Prevention Coordinator at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.
Leaving a child in a car is often not intentional.
Parents get tired and have a lot on their minds or are going someplace they don’t typically take their child, so they forget that they’re in the back seats.
Tabin recommends avoiding distractions and create reminders.
She gave an example of putting a teddy bear in their car seat when kids are not in the car and moving it to the front seat when the child is in the car.
“You have that as a visual cue that your child is in the back seat and needs to be taken out of the car seat before you turn off and get out of the vehicle,” said Tabin.
Tabin reminds people to ACT:
A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. Always keep your car locked when not in use so children cannot get inside on their own.
C: Create reminders. Place a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’s car seat when it’s empty and move it to the front seat when your child is in the back. You can also place your phone, briefcase, or purse in the back seat to ensure you check the back before leaving the car.
T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911 immediately. Emergency personnel are trained to handle these situations. Your call could save a life.
More information on preventing child heatstroke deaths can be found at www.safekids.org/heatstroke.
Young children are particularly vulnerable, as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults.
Support for local health coverage on WXPR is brought to you in part by a grant from the Rhinelander Health Foundation.
