AAA: Vehicular Heatstroke Risk Heightens as Temperatures Rise

Warmer temperatures mean an increased risk of death for children, pets

With hot temperatures in the forecast in the coming days and weeks, AAA East Central advises parents, caregivers, and pet owners to be especially vigilant about keeping children and pets safe from vehicular heatstroke. Sunshine streaming through car windows turns the vehicle into an oven, and lowering the windows slightly is ineffective at keeping the temperature low. In fact, even with temperatures as low as 57 degrees, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach 125 degrees in minutes.

“Heatstroke is a problem that children face in particular because their bodies are more sensitive to rising temperatures,” says Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs, AAA East Central. “Children and pets need our attention to keep them safe from these completely avoidable tragedies.”

Heat rapidly overwhelms the body’s ability to regulate temperature, and children under the age of four are especially vulnerable. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s, and when left in a hot vehicle, a child could die within minutes.

While automakers continue developing new safety features to assist parents, AAA offers the following safety tips:

 

• Never leave children or animals unattended in a car, not even for a short period of time.
• Create reminders and habits, such as leaving an item needed at your next stop in the back seat.
• Make sure all child passengers have left the vehicle after it is parked.
• Keep vehicles locked at all times, even in the garage or driveway, to prevent children from climbing into vehicles and becoming trapped.
• Never leave keys and/or remote openers within the reach of children.

 

If you come across a vehicle that has been left unattended with a child or pet inside, take action immediately. Call 911 and follow the instructions of emergency personnel.

 

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 78 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  Past news releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Allstate acquires National General for $4 billion in cash
By The Associated Press undefined
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Allstate is acquiring National General Holdings Corp. for $4 billion in cash as it expands its insurance portfolio. National General shareholders will get $32 per share from Allstate, plus closing dividends of about $2.50 per share, for a total of about $34.50 per share. National General’s board has already approved the deal, which is expected to close in early 2021. The New York-based insurer said that no fewer than 40% of its voting shares have also committed to approve the deal.

Boy seriously injured when explosive device blows up in hand
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Authorities say a boy holding an explosive device he had lit was seriously injured when it exploded in his hand on a Philadelphia street. The 12-year-old was with a friend when the accident occurred Tuesday night. Authorities say the boy had been trying to hold on to the device as long as possible before letting go. City police who happened to be on patrol in the area heard the blast and soon found the injured boy, who was running toward his home. They then took him and his mother to a hospital, where he underwent surgery. He suffered severe injuries to his left hand that are not considered life-threatening.

(Beaver, Pa.) The Beaver County Commissioners have announced an adjustment to their meeting  schedule for the next couple weeks due to scheduling conflicts and  vacations.

The Work Session Schedule for today, July 8, 2020, is cancelled along with the Commissioners Public meeting tomorrow, July 9, 2020. The Commissioners have also cancelled next weeks Salary Board work session scheduled for  Tuesday, July 14, 2020, and the Work session scheduled for next Wednesday July 15, 2020.

 

Biden wants US to produce more of its own pandemic supplies
By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden is promising to shift production of medical equipment and other key pandemic-fighting products “back to U.S. soil,” creating jobs and bolstering a domestic supply chain he says has been exposed as inadequate and vulnerable by the coronavirus outbreak. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s campaign released a plan Tuesday to reinforce stockpiles of a “range of critical products on which the U.S. is dangerously dependent on foreign suppliers.” That includes medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. It also includes energy and grid resilience technologies, semiconductors and key electronics as well as telecommunications infrastructure and raw materials. Biden’s camp hasn’t said how much his plan would cost.