ROANOKE, Va. – It’s no secret it’s hot outside, and on days like this one, it’s important to practice heat safety.
To start, make sure you’re hydrated and have access to a cool place.
On average, 38 children die every year by either being left or trapped in a hot car in the United States according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
Virginia Department of Transportation spokesperson Len Stevens said there’s a couple preventative measures you can take to protect your child.
“Stop, before you leave the vehicle, make sure you check the backseat,” Stevens said. “It’s a good idea to leave something that you need, you have a briefcase for work, or something else that you take into the office with you, leave that on the backseat because you will check the backseat then.”
You don’t just have to be inside of the car to feel the heat, exercising raises your temperature too.
Mother Brianna Garcia-Lopez brings her daughter to the playground frequently.
“It is very hot out here but with a two-year-old they’re so active you still got to let them come out and play,” Garcia-Lopez said. “We still come to the playground, we just make sure to stay hydrated.”
It’s not just kids we need to worry about. Dr. Maureen Roberts Medical Director of Emergency Veterinary Services of Roanoke said her practice see pets every year suffering from heat-related illnesses.
“Multiple people where they’ll decide to play ball with their pet in the middle of the day, and even though it’s only ten minutes, they can be seriously affected by that,” Dr. Roberts said. “Just think about how you feel outside and in the middle of the day probably not the best time to go exercising.”