Around the world every year, the news breaks of a child or a pet that has been left in a vehicle in the sun, and due to the extreme temperatures that can happen in the interior of a car, the child or pet succumbs to the heat. It is a tragedy the Weyburn Police Service does not want to see happen here in the Opportunity City.
Police Chief Jamie Blunden explained very bluntly what the police will do if they come across an animal or child left unattended in a vehicle.
“We are going to break that window,” Blunden said.
While the heat warning in the Weyburn area has ended, temperatures are expected to be around 27° over the next few days. With an ambient temperature of that, in direct sunlight, the interior of a car can get up to 43° in as little as 20 minutes. In 40 minutes, it can get up to 50°. Spending time in that sort of heat can quickly have life-threatening, if not fatal, consequences.
For those who happen to come across a child or pet in an unattended vehicle, Blunden stressed people should not take matters into their own hands. The best course of action is to call the police.
“Our members are available 24/7,” the police chief said. “If you feel that the child is suffering, then obviously phone 911. We’ll get there.”
If it is a truly dire situation, Blunden said to make the phone call to 911, and only take that step of intervening with the 911 operator on the line. However, especially here in Weyburn, police are only two minutes away.