EXASPERATED paramedics have reiterated a plea for motorists to not leave anyone, including pets, in hot cars after two call-outs in the Grampians region from Friday to Monday.
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Ambulance Victoria responded to 23 separate incidents from triple zero calls in the three day period.
Two children were taken to hospital with heat stress when found in a Springvale car park on Sunday. Their mum was facing charges by Monday afternoon for allegedly leaving them there.
A woman in her 70s was also treated in hospital from a separate incident after she was left in a locked car in a Dandenong shopping centre car park on Friday.
Ballarat has ranked as the worst place in regional Victoria for emergency services call-outs to children left in cars.
Car temperatures can double within minutes, which on an average summer day the temperature inside a parked can become 20 to 30 degrees hotter than outside.
Children's body temperatures rise three to five times faster than an adult, putting them at greater risk of life-threatening heatstroke, dehydration and organ damage when left in the car.
Victoria's health department advice states large cars heat up just as fast as smaller ones, and leaving the windows down slightly has little effect on the inside temperature.
Most of the temperature rise happens in the first five minutes after closing the car - the time it can take for a popping in quickly to a shop.
Better Health Channel tips to avoid leaving your child in a car focus on safer routines:
- open the back door of the car every time you park, even if there is no one in the back seat
- place a child's bag or cuddly toy in the front seat as a reminder
- leave a bag, phone or wallet in the back seat of the car
- use a mirror for rear facing car seats
- create a mental list of things to check each time you leave the car, for example, 'baby, keys, wallet and phone'.
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