As summer begins, the Police Foundation wants to remind you of the dangers of leaving children and pets in parked cars.… even if just for a few minutes. Despite leaving a window cracked open, the temperature inside the car can soar to above 100°F in just eight to ten minutes. The longer you stand in line at the bank or walk through the aisles of the store or wait for your takeout order, the vehicle’s interior will grow hotter and more lethal.
Children and pets can die in a hot car in just a couple of minutes. so never leave them or anyone unattended in a parked vehicle on a hot day, even with the windows rolled down.
The Police Foundation asks everyone to be on the lookout for children or animals left in parked cars – and to contact the Police right away. Officers are usually able to locate vehicle owners or open a locked car door, but they are occasionally required to force entry into a vehicle to rescue a child or a pet. Precious moments can make a big difference for the life inside the vehicle.
The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department now has another tool to help in the fight against child neglect and cruelty to animals. The Palm Beach Gardens Police Foundation announced that they have funded the purchase of infrared thermometers for patrol officers.
The Infrared Thermometers will allow responding units to measure the temperature inside parked vehicles and better decide what course of action to take.
Officers will also be using the Infrared Thermometers to educate the general public on just how quickly the temperature can rise in a closed vehicle. “If more people knew the danger of leaving their children and pets in the car, they probably wouldn’t do it,” said Tom Murphy, Foundation President. “The solution is simple, take your child with you when you park the car.”
for both our children and our pets.