Two Locked Cars, Two Days Apart

Summer is not just about outdoor fun and water activities. If left unattended, children can suffer serious, even life-threatening, injuries in the heat.

This week I responded to two nearly identical incidents just forty-eight hours apart. Both involved young children accidentally locked inside vehicles. Both involved terrified parents standing helplessly outside. Thankfully, both stories ended with children safely reunited with their families.

I volunteer with both United Hatzalah and the roadside assistance organization, Yedidim.

The first call came while I was at work in Pardes Hanna.

My United Hatzalah and Yedidim pager alerted me to an emergency involving a baby locked inside a parked vehicle. I immediately dropped what I was doing and rushed to the scene. As soon as I arrived, I could hear the mother’s screams before I even reached the car. Other volunteers and police officers were already trying to free the child. While they worked to open the vehicle, I prepared the medical equipment we would need the moment the baby was rescued.

Time was of the essence, and we all had to work together.

When we finally opened the door, I immediately reached in and took the infant. She was only four months old. The vehicle had been sitting with the engine off, and the temperature inside had become dangerously high.

Her skin was bright red. She was lethargic and having difficulty breathing.

We immediately began treating her. We cooled her down, administered oxygen, closely monitored her condition, and continued caring for her until she stabilized. Thankfully, she recovered and was able to remain at home.

I remember leaving that call hoping I would not see another one like it anytime soon.

Then, just two days later, my pager sounded again.

Another hot day. Another child locked inside a vehicle.

I drove straight to the address, already expecting the worst.

This time, however, the situation was very different.

The child, about a year and a half old, had accidentally been locked inside a vehicle that was still running with the air conditioner on. Although there was no immediate danger from the heat, a young child alone inside a locked vehicle is always an emergency. We quickly opened the door and reunited the toddler with his relieved mother.

The two calls reminded me how common these incidents become during the summer months. We are all busy, rushing from one place to another, and sometimes mistakes happen.

Sometimes the danger is immediate. A child or pet left inside a locked vehicle can suffer life threatening heat exposure within minutes. Even on days that do not feel exceptionally hot, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly.

Even when the danger appears less immediate, you should never take chances. Every incident deserves a rapid emergency response.

The first step is always to call for help immediately.

Do not assume someone else has already called or that everything will be fine. These situations can deteriorate in a matter of minutes.

While waiting for help to arrive:

• Stay as calm as possible.
• If possible, unlock the vehicle using a spare key or a remote access app.
• If the child is old enough and able to understand you, encourage them to unlock the door from the inside.
• Continue talking to and reassure the child that help is on the way, all the while monitoring their condition.
• If the child seems to be in imminent life-threatening danger and help still has not yet arrived, breaking a window may become necessary as a last resort, provided it can be done safely and without causing further injury.

One thing I learned this week is that these calls do not only happen to careless parents.

They happen to loving parents. They happen to responsible parents. They happen because modern vehicles can lock unexpectedly, because routines are interrupted, or because people panic.

Fortunately, both of these stories ended with children safely back in their parents’ arms. I know that will not always be the outcome.

So during these hot summer days, let’s all slow down, double-check our vehicles, and do everything we can to make sure every child gets home safely.