... Missouri Summer weather safety day...
... Beat the heat... check the backseat!...
Today is Missouri Summer weather safety day. With this weekend being
the traditional start of the Summer season... now is a good time to
remind yourself of the dangers posed by Summer weather. The two
hazards we see most commonly each Summer are excessive heat and lightning.
Each year dozens of children and untold numbers of pets left in
parked cars die from hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is an acute
condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can
handle. In 2012... 32 children died in vehicles due to excessive
heat. In 2011 it was 33 and in 2010 49 children died.
Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can
rapidly rise to a dangerous level for children... pets and even
adults. Leaving the windows slightly open does not significantly
decrease the heating rate. On a sunny day with an outside
temperature of 80 degrees... the temperature inside a closed car can
reach 94 degrees in two minutes... and about 120 degrees in 60
minutes.
So remember this simple slogan. Beat the heat... check the backseat!
Make sure you do not leave children or pets in closed cars. And
leave unattended parked cars locked so children cannot get inside to
play and possibly get trapped.
