It’s been scorchingly hot this past month. But expect the heat to get even worse. PAGASA has warned of even hotter days and nights ahead. According to the weather bureau, the heat index in the country could reach 52 degrees Celsius, categorized as ‘extreme danger’ due to El Niño.
Back in 2018, an incident where parents left a two-year-old in a parked car with windows up and no aircon to go drinking in a Pasig bar caused outrage on social media. The child survived because a witness heard his cries at 4:00 am and alerted security guards. Earlier this year, two young children were found to have died from suffocation after playing and being trapped inside a parked car in Pampanga.
A lot can happen in a few minutes. Aside from putting their life at risk, leaving them unattended might invite criminals to take advantage of the situation. Well-meaning individuals, who believe they may be in distress, might also cause more harm to your child and your vehicle if they try to help. Ask your childcare provider or partner to call you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled. New parents should clearly announce and confirm who is getting each child out of the vehicle, to avoid miscommunication.There have been cases where toddlers and older kids have ventured into a car to get a toy inside or play, only to be trapped inside. Here are tips to avoid that from happening from a factsheet from KidsandCarSafety.org.
It helps to stash a spare key inside your wallet or bag, which you’re likely to take that with you when you exit. You should also keep spare keys in an easily accessible location at home where other family members can easily grab them if needed.