SAN ANTONIO – If you come across a pet or a child alone in a vehicle, it’s important to act fast.
“Children’s bodies just cannot acclimate to extreme temperatures the way that adults can, unfortunately, it can happen so fast for our kids,” said Jennifer Northway, a representative for University Health System. “When we see a child or a pet locked in a vehicle and they are in distress, we need to call 911 immediately.”
Important heatstroke tips:
A car can heat up 19 degrees within 10 minutes; and cracking a window doesn’t help.
A child’s body temperature can rise five times faster than an adult’s.
Heatstroke tragedies often happen when someone’s daily routine is changed or disrupted.
Never leave your child alone in a car, not even during a quick trip to the store. Keep car doors and trunks locked and keep key fobs out of reach, so kids can’t climb into cars on their own.
Kiersten has been a Digital Content Creator with KSAT12 since 2017. She graduated from Texas State University with an electronic media degree and previously worked for the Spurs Sports & Entertainment.