Burn Foundation Administrator: Be Careful About What You Keep In Your Car During Hot Weather
By Michelle Durham
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (CBS) – The wilting heat has given everyone in the Delaware Valley a reason to pause.
We are all more conscious of fluid intake and limiting our exposure to the sun, but have you thought about the items in your car?
The normal things you might leave behind after you park can become a real danger to you and your family in high temperatures.
Assistant Fire Chief at the Middletown Fire Company Brian Decker unfortunately found out the hard way.
"Well, I had a can of soda that I brought to work. And I forgot it in my car, and I left it in there all day on one of these hot days. And I picked it up to take it out of my car and it exploded in my hand."
Decker says he hurt his finger, and though it was nothing serious, Burn Foundation Administrator John McCann has heard these types of things before.
"The contents of the can are probably super heated, so there is an opportunity for the occupants of the car to be burned by that," McCann warns. "And if the can gives off shrapnel while it's disintegrating, that's another opportunity for injuries."
McCann advises you go through your car and make sure to remove all hairspray, soda and sunscreen from the vehicle. Also, don't immediately apply sunscreen left in the car, as it could burn your skin.
And McCann also says that children are most susceptible to burns. He says you should open up all of the windows and the sunroof of the car to let the heat out, then turn on the air conditioning before you put your kids inside.
You should also make sure to double check the seatbelt buckles and car seats for heat before you secure your children, as these items take longer to cool down.
