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SALT LAKE CITY — As temperatures in Utah rise this week, it's important to remember hot cars can be dangerous, and even deadly for children and pets.
A yellow Labrador retriever died Saturday in a hot car in Salt Lake City. First responders alert everyone this summer that the mercury can soar to deadly levels in a matter of minutes.
"Children are at a much greater risk for heat-related injury," said Unified Fire Authority paramedic Eric Holmes.
According to KidsAndCars.org, a national safety organization, a child's body overheats three to five times faster than an adult body, and pets will struggle more quickly too. Children have died in hot cars when the outside temperature was as low as 60°, but the sun shining through the window turned the car into an oven.
"It's the sun shining on the car that is going to affect and dramatically increase the temperature inside the car," Holmes said.
Holmes used a heat gun to show us how quickly the temperature soared inside the car. With the outside temperature in the mid-80s, it took less than 10 minutes for the temperature inside several vehicles to reach 130 degrees.
"Up on the dash, it’s reading 132 degree right now," Holmes said, pointing the gun at a dashboard that had been in the sun only a short time.
On average, 37 children die in hot cars every year in this country, according to KidsAndCars.org. That's about one every nine days. There have already been nine vehicular heat stroke fatalities this year, compared to four at this time last year. Nearly 90 percent of children who have died from vehicular heat stroke are 3 years old and younger, and cracking the windows does little to slow the rise in heat.
"There are very few times in our career that we can truly prevent an emergency, and this is one of those times," said Holmes. "We just want to make sure we're getting everything out of the car."
A national campaign called "Look Before You Lock" recommends putting something in the back seat that cannot be left behind: a wallet, a purse, a security badge. That way, people will remember to check the back for kids and pets.
The campaign also recommends making it a routine to open the back door every time you park. To keep kids out of the car when parked, keep vehicles locked at all times.
- Keep dogs indoors: Unlike humans, dogs can only sweat through their footpads and cool themselves by panting. Soaring temperatures can cause heat stress, injury, or death.
- Provide water and shade: When outside, animals must have access to fresh water and ample shade, and the shifting sun needs to be taken into account. Even brief periods of direct exposure to the sun can have life-threatening consequences.
- Walk—don't run: In very hot, humid weather, never exercise dogs by biking and making them run alongside you or by running them while you jog. Dogs will collapse before giving up, at which point, it may be too late to save them.
- Avoid hot cars: Never leave an animal in a parked car in warm weather, even for short periods with the windows partially rolled down. Dogs trapped inside hot cars can succumb to heatstroke within minutes—even if a car isn't parked in direct sunlight.
- Never transport animals in the bed of a pickup truck: This practice is dangerous—and illegal in many cities and states—because animals can be catapulted out of a truck bed on a sudden stop or strangled if they jump out while they're tethered.
- Stay alert and save a life: Keep an eye on all outdoor animals. Make sure they have adequate water and shelter. If you see an animal in distress, provide him or her with water for immediate relief and contact humane authorities right away.
- Avoid hot pavement: When outdoor temperatures reach the 80s, asphalt temperatures can reach 140 degrees, causing pain, burns, permanent damage, and scarring on dogs' paws after just a few minutes of contact. Walk on grass when possible, and avoid walking in the middle of the day.
