PARK, LOOK, LOCK
By: Joanne Dunfee
Carter County Times
Summer is just around the corner and people are thinking of going camping
at Carter Caves, swimming at Grayson Lake, and having a picnic with relatives in
another city. It’s now important to brush up on summertime hot topics such as
heatstroke and locked cars.
Sadly, a child dies every ten days from a heatstroke in a locked vehicle. In
more than half of these cases, the caregiver forgot or did not realize the child
was in the car. This also applies to pets.
Sometimes a child can play quietly in the backseat. The parent gets lost in
thinking of their to-do list or other distractions and forgets the child or pet is
even there. The parent may even see the child sleeping and run into the store
for a quick errand. Never leave your child or pet alone in a car not even for a
minute. Each one can succumb quickly to high temperatures.
Think of a way to remind yourself that your child is in the backseat. Put your
cell phone by the child; so you have to look in the back. Put a stuffed animal in
the front passenger seat to remind you. Write yourself a message and put it on
the dash board.
Grayson EM wants you to remember that kids and pets in a hot car can be a
deadly combination. For that reason, Grayson EM has placed the “Park, Look,
Lock” rearview mirror placards in businesses for parents, grandparents, and
guardians to be picked up and used. There is no cost. You may find these
placards at Horton-Brown, Walgreens, Med-Save, Primary Plus, and Ralph’s
Pharmacies. You may find these at the City Building and Library in Grayson too.
They will also be distributed to daycares within the city and veterinarian offices.
Don’t take the chance of leaving your child or pet locked in the vehicle.
“Look before you lock”.
