IMPERIAL COUNTY – The Imperial County Public Health Department (ICPHD), Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency is warning residents about the dangers of heatstroke. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), heatstroke is the number one killer of children, outside of car crashes. The California Highway Patrol (CHP), Imperial County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO), Imperial County Fire Department (ICFD) and El Centro Fire Department (ECFD) join efforts each year with the ICPHD EMS Agency to help reduce these deaths by reminding parents and caregivers about the dangers of heatstroke and leaving children in hot cars.
 

“As outside temperatures rise, the risks of children dying from being left alone inside a hot vehicle also rises,” said Eduardo Ainza, ECFD Battalion Chief. “What is most tragic is that the majority of these deaths could have been prevented,” said Cedric Ceseña, ICFD Deputy Chief.

The ICPHD EMS Agency, CHP, ICSO, ICFD and ECFD ask parents and caregivers to do these three things:

1. NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended even if the engine is running and the air conditioner is turned on;
2. Make it a habit to look in the backseat EVERY time you exit the car; and
3. ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach.
    

Parents and caregivers should know the warning signs of heatstroke, which include red, hot, and dry skin; no sweating; a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse; nausea; confusion; or acting strangely. If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, cool the child rapidly by spraying them with cool water, NEVER an ice bath. Call 911 immediately.
Children’s body temperatures can rise five times faster than that of an adult. According to NHTSA Traffic Safety Marketing, in 2024, 39 children lost their lives due to heatstroke from being left in hot vehicles. The average number of U.S. child heatstroke fatalities per year since 1998 is 1,000.
 

Twelve years ago, NHTSA launched the “Prevent Hot Car Deaths: STOP. LOOK. LOCK.” education campaign in the hope that the simple tips from this campaign will save lives and help families avoid unnecessary heartache. Posters have been shared with local healthcare providers and childcare sites to promote the campaign.
 

To learn more about NHTSA’s “Prevent Hot Car Deaths: STOP. LOOK. LOCK.” campaign, visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke.