Summer Heat, Check the Seat

Fulton Homes News

Fulton Foundation

Posted: 6/24/2022

Summer Heat, Check the Seat

Fulton Homes Offers Life-Saving Tips for
Caregivers of Children and Pets Alike

Temperatures in the Phoenix area will continue skyrocketing for the next few months. While 100+ degrees is the norm in the Valley, that intense heat brings with it an unfortunate problem: loss of life from being left in a hot car. In fact, Arizona ranks third in the country when it comes to pediatric vehicular heatstroke, with 29.32 deaths per capita.

Car temperatures can rise by 50 degrees in just 15 minutes, turning a seemingly cool 80-degree temperature into 130 degrees in the blink of an eye. Once a child's body temperature reaches 104 degrees, heatstroke can occur, and at 106 degrees, the body will start to convulse. If their body temperature reaches 108 degrees, irreversible brain damage is likely to occur and is oftentimes deadly.

And children aren't the only ones being accidentally left in hot cars - hundreds of pets die every year from the same cause. Through the Summer Heat, Check the Seat campaign, Fulton Homes aims to educate the public about ways to keep loved ones safe from this preventable disaster.

SET VISUAL REMINDERS
The first suggestion for reminding busy parents and caregivers to check the backseat each time they take a trip in the car is to leave something of importance, aside from the child or pet, in the backseat of the car. For those going to work, set a cell phone, briefcase, lunch, name badge or laptop in the back so there is a reason to open the door to retrieve the item before heading inside for the day. For those running errands, leave a cell phone, water bottle, wallet or purse in the seat beside the child or pet to ensure nothing is forgotten during the hustle and bustle of the day.

Conversely, drivers may also elect to leave a meaningful item belonging to their child or pet in the front seat next to them. For instance, placing a child's favorite stuffed animal or toy on the passenger seat will trigger a reminder that a child is also in the car. And for pets, setting their water bowl, treats or leash alongside the driver should also signal that they are traveling with their furry friend.

Drivers may also create reminders on signs to hang from the rear view mirror, or even place a note on the dashboard to remind them to look in the backseat before leaving the vehicle.

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY
Other potential solutions to address this deadly problem include embracing technology created for this exact cause. The Car Seat CoPilot Alert System uses a sensor that clips onto the car seat and a key fob to alert parents if they walk away from the vehicle without unbuckling their child first. The eClip from Elepho is a another small device that connects to the car seat and syncs to an app that reminds caregivers to retrieve their child if they move more than 15 feet away from the vehicle. Also, for those who use the Waze app for driving directions, consider turning on the Child Reminder Feature, which instructs drivers to double-check for their child as the last step in the driving directions.

BE VIGILANT AT HOME, TOO
Finally, make it a habit to lock car doors once getting home. Even if the car is parked in the garage or driveway, keep the doors locked to stop curious children from getting into the automobile. Also, don't leave car keys or fobs lying around within easy reach of a toddler who might wander outside and let themselves into the car without anyone knowing. Unfortunately, many young children want to play inside of cars and are unable to get back out on their own.

Fulton Homes encourages parents to be vigilant in protecting children this summer. In addition to Summer Heat, Check the Seat, each year Fulton Homes implements various child and pet safety campaigns throughout the community, including the Two Seconds Is Too Long water safety campaign and Cause for Paws to protect dogs' paws from blistering asphalt temperatures.

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