PORT ORCHARD – Heatstroke is the number one killer of children, outside of motor vehicle crashes. That’s why the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office has joined with the National Sheriffs’ Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to help reduce these deaths by reminding parents and caregivers about the dangers of heatstroke and leaving children in hot vehicles.

“There were at least 30 heatstroke deaths of children in vehicles that occurred during 2014 in this country,” said Sheriff Gary Simpson.

“Although law enforcement agencies in Kitsap County responded to a handful of reports of children left unattended inside vehicles, we were very fortunate that there were no child heatstroke related injuries that occurred in this jurisdiction.”

As outside temperatures rise, the risks of children dying from being left alone inside a hot vehicle also rises. One child dies from heatstroke nearly every 10 days from being left in a hot vehicle. But what is most tragic is that the majority of these deaths could have been prevented.

All parents and caregivers should do these three things:

• Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended.

• Make it a habit to look in the backseat every time you exit the car. Look before you lock.

• Always lock the car and put the keys out of reach. And, if you ever see a child left alone in a hot vehicle, call 911.

If you are a bystander:

Always check to make sure the child is OK and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.

If the child appears OK, you should attempt to locate the parents, or have the facility’s security or management page the vehicle’s owner over the PA system.

If there is someone with you, one person should actively search for the parent or caregiver while a second person waits at the car.

If the child is not responsive and appears in great distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child, even if that means breaking a window.

Know the warning signs of heatstroke, which include:

• Red, hot, and moist or dry skin.

• No sweating.

• A strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse.

• Nausea, confusion or acting strangely.

If a child exhibits any of these signs after being inside a hot vehicle, cool the child rapidly by spraying them with cool water. Never immerse the child in an ice bath. Call 911 immediately.

A child’s body temperatures can rise up to five times faster than that of an adult, and heatstroke can occur in temperatures as low as 57 degrees. On an 80-degree day, a vehicle can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.

Fifty-nine percent of all vehicle-related heatstroke deaths in children are caused by a child accidentally being left in the car, and 29 percent are from a child getting into a hot car on their own.