Marion/Linn County Officials: 38 Children Die Each Year Due to Heatstroke from Being Left in Vehicles

From City of Marion:

Marion Fire Department and Linn County Safe Kids Coalition Offer Infant/Child Heatstroke Safety Tips

The Marion Fire Department and the Linn County Safe Kids Coalition want to remind parents to never leave their children alone in a car. 

When outside temperatures are in the low 80s, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach dangerous levels in only 10 minutes, even with a window lowered two inches.  

In the U.S. about 38 infants/children die every year from heatstroke as a result of being left in vehicles. We can reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke by remembering to ACT.

A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own.

C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.

T: Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

Go a step further, and communicate with your daycare provider for added peace of mind. Develop a plan so that if your child is late, the caregiver will call within a few minutes. It is also simple to create a calendar reminder on electronic devices, to make sure you dropped your child off at daycare.

Practicing these simple safeguards can help avoid this preventable tragedy.