Record heat wave prompts urgent warnings about child heatstroke in hot cars

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(28 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belle Glade, Florida - 26 June 2025
1. Vehicle passes by a display showing outside temperature compared to inside a vehicle
2. Worker showing safety brochure to a parent
3. Workers prepare a car seat for installation
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Kathy Wall, Director of Safe Kids Palm Beach County:
"So generally, Safe Kids Worldwide, we talk about safety at home, safety at school, safety at play, and safety on the way. This is our safety on-the-way program, our car seat program, but when we're talking to parents about their car seats, we also want to talk about children in and around cars. So we talk spotting the tot before you back out of your driveway. Be sure to walk around your vehicle to be sure no kids are behind you. And the other thing, especially now in the summer, it's a year-long issue, but we talk about kids being left in hot cars."
5. Various of worker showing a parent how to install a car seat
6. Vehicle drives past car seat inspection station
7. Various of wall showing a parent temperature comparison on display
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Captain Karen Derogatis, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue:
"People need to understand that even in mild temperatures, that leaving a child in a vehicle is something that is detrimental as well. So it's not just on hot days, it's even in mild 72 degree weather days that we need to worry about it."
9. Outdoor versus inside vehicle temperature on display
10. Fire rescue showing chart
11. Various of worker showing a parent temperature comparison
12. Never leave a child alone in a car sign on display
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Kathy Wall, Director of Safe Kids Palm Beach County:
"We have an acronym, ACT. A, avoid leaving your child unattended in a car, not even for a minute. C, create whatever reminder works best for you. Leave your purse, leave your briefcase, leave your laptop in the back seat, leave a shoe. And T is take action. If you see a child in a car, don't try to figure out how long they've been in the car, call 911 immediately."
14. Family walking behind temperature comparison sign
15. Various of the sun shining through a palm tree next to U.S. flag
STORYLINE:
A record heat wave that spread across the East Coast of the United States during the first week of summer has child advocates warning parents and caretakers about the risks of heatstroke to children left inside hot vehicles.

Safe Kids Palm Beach County hosted a car seat event offering free or low-cost car seats to families in need while also featuring a car temperature display to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles.

About 80% of the heat rise in vehicles happens in the first 30 minutes of a child being left inside, when maximum temperatures can exceed 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65-degrees Celsius), according to data compiled by Jan Null, a certified consulting meteorologist at San Jose State University.

The director of Safe Kids Palm Beach County, Kathy Wall, encourages parents and caregivers to establish routines.

“We have an acronym, ACT,"

A stands for avoiding leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.

C stands for creating a reminder that works best for you. Authorities suggest leaving a personal item such as a purse or briefcase in the backseat so you'll have to open the back door before locking the vehicle.

T is to take action right away. “If you see a child in a car, don’t try to figure out how long they’ve been in the car. Call 911 immediately," Wall said.

AP video shot by Cody Jackson

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