Safe Kids Kansas warns of child deaths from heat strokes in cars
With at least 23 deaths reported across the country due to children suffering a heat stroke from being left unattended in a vehicle, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Safe Kids Kansas is offering preventative tips.
"Even on a mild day, the inside of a car can quickly become very hot," said Cherie Sage of Safe Kids Kansas. "This is a place no child should be alone, and because children's bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults, this makes them much more susceptible to heat stroke."
The organization said these types of deaths can happen anywhere, citing its occurrence in all but four states from 1998 to 2011. In that time frame, eight children died in Kansas from being left in vehicles.
Safe Kids Kansas encourages creating reminders as a safety net. Parents can leave a needed item - such as a cell phone, purse or briefcase - in the backseat. They can also set an alarm on their cell phone to remind themselves to drop a child off at childcare, as well as making a habit to call caregivers so they know where the child is at all times.
If someone sees a child left in a vehicle, they are asked to call 911.
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