HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Summer is here and things are heating up, specifically cars and concrete. This heat comes with dangers and you need to know how to be safe.
Don Webster, Community Relations Officer with HEMSI, says "People do not realize that the temperature can spike in a vehicle in just a matter of five to eight minutes."
Although temperatures usually reach their highest in July or August, things can still get hot inside of an enclosed car right now. Webster says, "We're in a time of year right now we're running in the mid, you know, 80's, high humidity. At those temperatures you do not want to leave anyone or any kind of pet in enclosed vehicle for any period of time."
Children, pets, adults, no one should be left or sit in a overheated car.
Every year, there are cases where people have forgotten their loved ones or pets. Webster says to avoid this, it's important to pay extra close attention. "We just need to use common sense and not get so preoccupied and not become such major creatures of habit when we're traveling with loved ones or other people in the car that we might be responsible for."
One way to make sure you leave no one behind? Putting your bags in the backseat, or put your cell phone in the backseat.
Cars sitting in the sun are not the only thing to look out for. It's also good to keep in mind the temperature of the concrete, especially when taking pets for a walk.
Dr. Wesley Clendinen, ER veterinarian, Huntsville Veterinary Specialists & Emergency, says, "If it's uncomfortable to touch for you, then it's probably uncomfortable for them, their paw pads, digital cushions, do have a little bit thicker skin than the soles of our feet, but they still transmit heat just like our skin does."
Need some alternatives? He recommends you can walk your dog either early in the morning or later on in the afternoon, or natural surfaces like grass or parks, places where that heat is going to dissipate or be absorbed, are much safer.