DRAPER, Utah (ABC 4 News) – Spring turned into summer and the heat produced some close calls.
In Draper, police found a child left alone in a car while her babysitter was inside shopping.
Police responded and found the little three year old girl okay.
“For the little kids it’s deadly dangerous and it will kill them in a very short time,” said Sgt. Gerald Allred of the Draper police department.
Draper police said the child was returned to the babysitter after talking with the parents.
“There's a misconception that if we crack the windows of our vehicle that it will alleviate that heat build up, actually cracking a window does very little to alleviate that heat buildup,” said Captain Clint Smith of the United Fire Authority.
About a half hour later in the same parking lot, as temperatures were approaching 85-degrees a dog was left inside a vehicle.
Five minutes later, the owner returned to the vehicle.
“It isn't safe but she's my companion and she goes with me every place,” said owner Clara Salazar. “But I shouldn't have brought here.”
Medical experts said parents and pet owners need that annual reminder of how dangerous the interior of vehicles can be for children and pets.
“Children don't regulate temperatures like adults so their core temperature will increase two to three times faster than that of an adult,” said Captain Smith.
Animal caretakers said dogs don't have the ability to sweat which is needed to release heat. They said it's worse for them.
"Within ten or 15 minutes in some cases they can do permanent damage including brain damage and heat damage to their organs and from that they can't recover," said Temma Martin of the Utah Animal Adoption Service.
