Stay safe in the heat this summer, experts warn

Special to The Canton News 

As temperatures rise across the country, the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are urging residents to take precautions to protect themselves and others from the dangers of extreme heat.

Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. It can cause serious health problems, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and worsen existing medical conditions.

According to The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment, several populations are especially vulnerable. These include:
●    Young children and infants, whose bodies aren’t as efficient at regulating temperature.
●    Older adults, especially those with pre-existing conditions or limited mobility.
●    People with chronic health issues, who are more susceptible to complications during heat waves.
●    Pregnant women, for whom extreme heat has been linked to low birth weight, preterm birth, and other serious outcomes.

Officials urge residents to check on neighbors, friends and family members in these high-risk groups, particularly if they lack air conditioning.

In addition, NHTSA is highlighting the grave dangers of hot cars, which remain one of the deadliest heat-related threats to children. Vehicular heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related death for children fourteen and younger in the United States.

Since 1998, more than 1,000 children have died in hot cars. On average, one child dies every ten days in the U.S. from heatstroke after being left in or gaining access to a vehicle. In 2024, thirty-nine children died this way — up from twenty-nine in 2023.

Internal vehicle temperatures can soar up to fifty degrees hotter than outside air temperatures. Because children’s body temperatures rise three to five times faster than adults, even a mild day can be dangerous. Nearly a quarter of these deaths occur when children climb into unlocked cars without supervision.
To help prevent tragedy, NHTSA urges parents and caregivers to remember the mantra: Once You Park, Stop, Look, Lock.

Always check the entire vehicle — especially the back seat — before walking away.

Never leave a child in a car, not even for a minute.

Always lock your car, and keep keys out of reach to prevent curious children from climbing inside.

“Parents and caregivers think this sort of tragedy could never happen to them,” said one local official. “Sadly, ‘never’ does happen. It doesn’t matter your background or how attentive you think you are. During moments of stress or a change in routine, these tragedies occur.”

For more information on heat safety and preventing vehicle-related heatstroke, visit www.weather.gov/safety/heat

As summer heats up, officials urge everyone to stay cool, stay alert, and stay safe.