Statistics from Ambulance Victoria show that paramedics were called to 1228 cases of people locked in cars from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2022.
They want to remind people that the temperature inside a parked car can be 20 to 30 degrees hotter than the temperature outside.
Exposure to heat can cause heat stroke, which is fatal in up to 80 per cent of cases.
Symptoms of heat stroke can include nausea, dizziness, headache and muscle cramps, hot dry red skin, confusion, seizures and loss of consciousness.
Other illnesses caused by heat can include heat cramps and heat exhaustion.
Those most at risk are older people, young children and people with a medical condition.
Children are especially susceptible, with a child’s body temperature being able to rise three to five times faster than an adult.
Other statistics released by Ambulance Victoria include:
• Most of the call outs were in the summer months. Some 33.4 per cent — or 410 cases — were between December 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022.
• December 2021 had the most cases (165), dropping to 75 cases in June 2022.
• Of concern, numbers are rising, with 113 cases last month.
• Of the 1228 call outs, paramedics treated 198 patients at the scene and transported just 15 to hospital.
• Children below the age of 13 represent 92.5 per cent of cases reported.
• Toddlers aged one to three make up the most cases — or 62.2 per cent.
• For children under 13, 11am was the busiest time of the day for locked-in-car call outs.
Ambulance Victoria seeks to remind Victorians that if someone is experiencing, or seeing someone experience, seizures, confusion or stroke-like symptoms, collapsing or is unconscious to contact 000 immediately.
23°C