Henderson Professional Fire Fighters (HPFF), along with the Henderson Police Officers’ Association (HPOA), and the City of Henderson’s Fire and Police Departments launched their annual “Check Your Seats in the Heat” safety outreach campaign with a press conference and reenactment of real-time response to a 911 call of a child left inside a hot car. The campaign kickoff was led by HPFF President Zach Davis and joined by HPOA President Mike Goodwin, Henderson Fire Chief Scott Vivier, Henderson Police Chief Reggie Rader as well as Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero along with council members on June 3, at the Henderson Fire Training Center.
“It is not safe to leave a child in an unattended vehicle for even one minute,” said Davis. “This message is incredibly important for every valley resident. Zero deaths are the only acceptable number, and the only way we can ensure that happens is by educating our community. We are grateful for our partners and volunteers that support this safety outreach effort.”
“Every second matters when a child is left in a hot vehicle,” said Goodwin. “Our officers have responded to these emergencies firsthand, and we know how quickly a situation can become life-threatening. Through this campaign we want to encourage the community to take action, you can help save a life.”
Henderson Professional Fire Fighters began the “Check Your Seats in the Heat” campaign in 2010 with a mission to educate the community about the dangers of leaving a child in a hot car in hopes to prevent those tragedies from occurring.
Nevada has ranked among the top 20 states hardest hit by heatstroke emergencies. When temperatures are hot outside, the inside of a car can climb more than 30 degrees hotter in just 10 minutes.
Firefighters suggest making a habit of leaving your cell phone, wallet or purse in the back seat to get in the habit of checking the entire car before locking and leaving your vehicle.
