Safe Kids USA Extends Hyperthermia Initiative in Texas

Texas leads nation in children dying while unattended in vehicles

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe Kids USA coalitions in Texas are aggressively tackling the problem of young children affected by hyperthermia, or heat stroke, when they are unattended in vehicles on sunny days as part of the Safe Kids Buckle Up program.

"This tragic mishap has occurred 38 times across the country so far this year - more times by this date than in any year since records began being kept in 1998," said Lorrie Walker, Training Manager & Technical Advisor, Safe Kids USA.  "Ten of those deaths occurred in Texas, most for any state and more than one-fourth of the national total.  Since 1998, Texas has the dubious distinction of reporting more vehicle heat-related fatalities - 68 - than any other state."

Texas Safe Kids coalitions are reaching out to the public, asking that people help take action by posting information to their Facebook pages, sharing educational videos, sending e-Cards and e-mails, and distributing flyers at grocery stores, day care centers, schools, pools and other locations.  (Details are available at http://www.safekids.org/how-you-can-help/take-action/take-action-raise-awareness.html.)

Follow these tips to help prevent child injuries:

• Dial 911 immediately if you see an unattended child in a car.  EMS professionals are trained to determine if a child is in trouble.
• Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even with the window slightly open.
• Place a cell phone, PDA, purse, briefcase, gym bag or whatever is to be carried from the car on the floor in front of a child in a backseat. This triggers adults to see children when they open the rear door and reach for their belongings.
• Set your cell phone or Blackberry reminder to be sure you dropped your child off at day care.
• Set your computer calendar program, such as Outlook, to ask, "Did you drop off at daycare today?"
• Have a plan that if your child is late for daycare that you will be called within a few minutes. Be especially careful if you change your routine for dropping off little kids at day care.
• Teach children not to play in any vehicle.
• Lock all vehicle doors and trunk after everyone has exited the vehicle - especially at home. Keep keys out of children's reach.  Cars are not playgrounds or babysitters.
• Check vehicles and trunks FIRST if a child goes missing.

About Safe Kids USA

Safe Kids USA is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations with the mission of preventing unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 1 to 14. More than 600 coalitions in the United States and nineteen member countries worldwide bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families.

Safe Kids Buckle Up, a comprehensive child passenger safety program supported by the General Motors Foundation since 1997, has inspected 1.25 million car seats; held approximately 64,000 car seat checkup events around the country; donated more than 444,000 car seats to families in need and educated more than 21 million parents and caregivers.

SOURCE Safe Kids USA

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