Police urge common sense in heat

Police are urging people to use their common sense and not leave children or animals in cars in the summer heat. 
 
Waikato Police today attended an incident where two pre-schoolers had been left locked in a car at a Hamilton shopping centre while a family member visited a food court to get takeaways. 
 
The temperature at the time was reported to be around 29 degrees. 
 
The windows of the car had been left slightly down, allowing bystanders to rescue the children who appeared to be very distressed. 
 
The bystanders cooled the children down with wet towels and ice prior to ambulance staff arriving, and fortunately the children did not require any further medical attention.   
 
Senior Sergeant Charles Burgess said he believed the family member was gone from the car for about 20 minutes. 
 
“I’d like to commend those passers-by who saw that the children were distressed and did what they could to assist. Without their intervention, this situation could have had a tragic outcome.” 
 
“We really need people to be vigilant and use their common sense. Vehicles can get horrendously hot, and there is no way that children should be left in cars with the kind of heat we are experiencing around New Zealand at the moment.” 
 
“The same goes for animals – if you’re going out, and you know you won’t be able to take your animal with you when you leave the car, leave them at home. It is just not safe for animals to be left in vehicles in the heat.” 
 
ENDS
 
Issued by Police Media Centre.