Residents warned against heatstroke
With local temperatures already hitting triple digits as well as the approaching Memorial Day weekend kicking off the unofficial start of summer, The Imperial County Public Health Department, Emergency Medical Services Agency is reminding residents about the dangers of heatstroke.
A particular concern is leaving children in hot cars. Children’s body temperatures can rise up to five times faster than that of an adult, and heatstroke can occur in temperatures as low as 57 degrees. According to the non-profit Kidsandcars.org, in 2019, 53 children lost their lives due to heatstroke from being left in hot vehicles. The average number of U.S. child heatstroke fatalities per year since 1998 is 38.
“As outside temperatures rise, the risks of children dying from being left alone inside a hot vehicle also rises,” said Chris Herring, EMS manager. “What is most tragic is that the majority of these deaths could have been prevented.”
The Imperial County EMS Agency, law enforcement and local city officials ask parents and caregivers to do these three things:
1. NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended even if the engine is running and the air conditioner is turned on.
2. Make it a habit to look in the backseat EVERY time you exit the car.
3. ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach.
Parents can also download the Baby Reminder App or the Child Safe App to use as a tool to check for their baby before walking away from their vehicle.
Parents should know the warning signs of heatstroke, which include red, hot, and moist or dry skin; no sweating; a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse; nausea; confusion, or acting strangely. If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, cool the child rapidly by spraying them with cool water or with a garden hose, NEVER an ice bath. Call 911 or the local emergency number immediately.
To learn more about NHTSA’s “Where’s Baby? Look before you Lock” campaign, visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke.
Additional summer safety tips and fact sheets are available on the Imperial County Public Health Department’s website: http://www.icphd.com/ health-information-and-resources/ health-&-wellness/summer-safety/