National Heat Awareness Day Reminds Us To Be Smart in The Heat

May 24 is National Heat Awareness Day and the day serves as a reminder to Floridians that the sun’s heat is powerful and if not careful, the sun can be too much for someone to take, and unfortunately we’re not just talking about sun burns. Each year, people leave children and animals in cars and the rapid rise in the car’s temperature leads to heat stroke and sometimes even death.

Fortunately the way to prevent heat stroke and death is simple, don’t leave young children or animals in a car. Don’t leave them in a car in the shade. Don’t leave them in a car with the windows cracked. Don’t leave them in the car on a “nice” 75-degree day. None of those scenarios is safe and unlike adults, young children and animals don’t have the ability to get out of the car when they get too hot.

According to the graph created by Jan Null or San Francisco State University, on a 75-degree day cars heat up to 109 degrees in just 30 minutes. 109 degrees is too hot for children and animals. But realistically, 75 degrees would be an unusually “cold” day in South Florida in the spring or summer. Spring and summer temperatures in South Florida are typically 90 degrees or more and in just 10 minutes on a 90-degree day a car’s temperature rises to 109 degrees and in 30 minutes a car’s temperature rises to 124 degrees. That is unbearable.

There’s no excuse to leave an animal or child in the car. Don’t bring a dog with you for a car ride and then make a stop where you need to get out and leave them in the car. Leave the animal at home. If bringing your child with you be sure to bring the stroller or whatever is necessary to bring them inside with you while you do your errands.

There are a couple ways to keep your car cooler when it is parked during the day. Getting a vehicle’s windows tinted can keep a car cooler by about nine degrees. A removable window shade for a vehicle’s front windshield will also keep a car a little cooler during the day.

Be sure to share heat safety tips with your children and if you have any advice for us or our audience, share it with us on our Facebook page.