Oklahoma City firefighters have responded to over 30 hot-car lockouts this month, highlighting the dangers of extreme heat for children and pets left in vehicles. According to Capt. John Chenoweth, assistant public information officer for OKC Fire, the department has responded to more than 50 heat-related exposures and 33 lockouts.
Heat-Related Dangers
Chenoweth emphasized how quickly temperatures inside a car can escalate, especially in 100-degree weather. "That car will easily reach 140 to 150 degrees within 15 to 20 minutes. Kids and pets just can’t regulate their heat very well," he said.
Fire trucks are equipped with tools to handle these emergencies, and firefighters often try to locate the vehicle’s owner before taking further action. If the situation is critical, firefighters may decide to break a car window to rescue the child or pet.
Oklahoma law provides some legal protection for individuals who intervene in such situations. House Bill 1902, passed in 2015, protects people from civil liability if they forcibly enter a vehicle to rescue a child under specific conditions.
Firefighters urge the public to act quickly if they see someone inside a hot car. They said they would rather respond to a false alarm than arrive too late to a life-threatening situation.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
