EMSA Receiving Several Calls Regarding Kids In Hot Cars

EMSA is calling it an epidemic this summer. More than 60 kids have been left in cars in the Oklahoma City area since May 1 and that has been under cooler summer conditions.

With temperatures rising, the agency wants to warn parents about the dangers.

"It’s like an unrecognized epidemic,” said Jim Winham with EMSA.

Winham is EMSA’s Director of Clinical Services.

"In 10 minutes, you’ll see the temperature jump up 20 degrees inside a vehicle,” said Winham. “Once the core body temperature gets to 104 degrees, it just short circuits everything in the brain and it's a deadly situation.”

Many of the calls involve vehicles with tinted windows and the agency is not sure why.

“It doesn’t offer much protection when we are talking about 115 degrees inside the vehicle,” Winham explained.

On average, 38 children die nationwide every year in hot cars.

“Small children already have a difficulty maintaining their body temperature, so they don't sweat like adults do, so it's very deadly for them,” Winham said.