Ambulance Victoria reveals suburbs with most call-outs for people locked in cars
The Geelong suburbs with the most ambulance call-outs for people locked in cars have been revealed, amid warnings about the danger this poses to kids. SEE THE LIST
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Armstrong Creek is the region’s worst suburbfor paramedics being called out to people locked in cars, amid warnings leaving kids in vehicles can be deadly.
Ambulance Victoria data, encompassing December 1 last year to November 30, showed the suburb had nine call-outs.
It was followed by Corio, Belmont and Grovedale, with six relating to people locked in cars in each suburb.
The 12 months prior the worst suburbs in the region were Corio (eight call-outs) and Grovedale (six).
Ambulance Victoria is urging the community to never leave kids or elderly people in cars and take preventive steps to beat the heat this summer.
It said that worryingly, paramedics were called to 1240 cases of people locked in cars from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
Children under 13 represent the vast majority of cases reported and treatment is usually not required.
It is against the law to leave a child unattended in a car in Victoria, and penalties include fines or jail time.
Ambulance Victoria Barwon South West regional director clinical operations Jess McGowan implored parents and carers to never leave their kids or elderly people in the car this summer, warning hot cars can kill.
“Barwon South West is set to experience a hot summer, so our paramedics are asking communities to take simple steps to stay safe from heat illnesses this festive season,” she said.
The temperature inside a vehicle can double and become deadly within minutes.
It is particularly dangerous for kids to be left in vehicles, as a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult.
Last summer saw a drop in cases, but in spring this year paramedics responded to more cases of people locked in cars compared to the previous spring, Ambulance Victoria said.
Ambulance Victoria executive director operational communications Danielle North asked
parents and carers to always take their children and elderly people with them whenever they got out of the car.
“Too often our paramedics are responding throughout the summer months to a child left inside a vehicle, which is incredibly dangerous,” she said.
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Originally published as Ambulance Victoria reveals suburbs with most call-outs for people locked in cars
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