OK Experts Warn Of Dangers Of Leaving Children In Hot Cars

Summertime means 90 to 100-degree days and, unfortunately, it’s a time when we see children left in hot cars.

"It's one of those things, as a firefighter, that you hope you never run on but you know you will,” said Deputy Chief Phillip Reid, Broken Arrow Fire Department.

Reid said a 911 call of a child or pet left unattended in a hot car are too familiar.

"In a city of our size, you are probably gonna have a couple dozen of those calls during the summer months," he said.

Safe Kids Tulsa partnered with AAA Oklahoma and Broken Arrow Police and Fire Thursday to highlight the dangers of leaving children and pets in hot cars.

Safe Kids Worldwide says 43 children died from heat stroke while left in a car in 2013; coordinator Beth Washington said those statistics are why Thursday's event is so important.

"This is a preventable death - all you have to do is not leave your child in the car," Washington said.

Safe Kids Tulsa is encouraging anyone that will be with children this summer, to ACT - avoid, create, take action.

A- Avoid heatstroke by never leaving your child alone in a car.
C-Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to the child.
T-Take Action. If you see a child left alone in a car, call 911.

They say you should always bring your child with you, even if it's to run into the grocery store.

"You run into somebody you know, you start talking, and then, pretty soon 10 minutes has gone by and tragedy is unfolding in the parking lot," Reid said.

You can find more tips on keeping your children safe this summer here.