LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — With triple-digit temperatures returning to the Las Vegas forecast next week, Sunrise Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Clark County are reminding families about the dangers children face in and around vehicles during the summer months.
Temperatures inside a parked car can quickly rise to deadly levels, even on a mild day.
"We wanted to make sure we educate parents once again on the importance of never leaving your child unattended in a car, even for just a few minutes," said Jeanne Marsala, an RN and coordinator with Safe Kids Clark County.
Even on Friday morning, as the outside temperature sat in the low 80s, the temperature gauge inside a vehicle read 144º.
"That kind of temperature is not compatible with a child's life," Marsala said.
She said that as every minute goes by, the temperature inside a vehicle rises by 3º.
Some of the tips Marsala shared for making sure not to leave kids in cars is to set reminders or to leave something else in the backseat like a purse or even a shoe.
"When these incidents happen, it is often that the routine has changed," she said, "so create reminders so you do not forget that your child is in the back of the car."
Even those without children can do their part to help keep kids safe in the heat this summer.
"If you are a bystander and see a child left unattended in a car, call 911 immediately, get involved, and take action because every minute counts," she said. "The quicker EMS can get there to save the child's life, the better chance the child has."
