PHOENIX - The sharp increase in temperatures next week has local officials warning drivers not to keep kids or pets inside parked cars.
July is the deadliest month for hot car deaths according to the organization Kids and Cars.
Captain Larry Subervi of the Phoenix Fire Department says calls for hot car incidents are among those first responders dread the most.
“When it says the child hasn’t been seen in four or five hours, and it’s 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and it’s a 110-degree day, the chance of survival for that child is pretty minimal,” he said.
At 80 degrees, temperatures can spike to 110 degrees inside a car in just 15 minutes—and an Arizona summer is way hotter than that.
“The inside of the car at these temperatures can get up to 150 within just about five minutes of being in the sun,” Subervi said.
Nationwide, there were 43 hot car deaths last year and Arizona ranked among the top five states in the nation with 33 deaths since 1998.
Maricopa County had no hot car deaths in 2016, but two last year – in both Mesa and Phoenix.
The Maricopa County Attorneys office launched a campaign entitled “Don’t Leave me Behind!” last month.
“This year the emphasis is on getting back to zero,” said County Attorney Bill Montgomery.
To help yourself remember, advocates say you can take a number of steps.
• Put a stuffed animal in the front seat
• Take off your left shoe and put in the back seat
• Download an app
“One of the great things we suggest now is people don’t go anywhere without their cell phones. So you can’t text and drive, can’t talk and drive, so take your cell phone, put it underneath the car seat,” said Subervi.
It's also legal in Arizona to break into a car to remove a child or pet if you abide by certain guidelines and call 911 prior to damaging the vehicle.