Orillia OPP rescue 2-year-old child from hot car

Orillia OPP came to the rescue of a child who was trapped in a vehicle.

Police told Barrie 360 they responded to the incident in a private driveway around 11 Wednesday morning.

They said the child was playing in the car at the time, and there were no keys available outside the vehicle.

"The child was sweating and red-faced, showing signs of distress," police stated in an email to Barrie 360.

"Officers reacted quickly understanding the severity of the situation, and no possibility of delaying entry broke a window to safely enter and extract the child."

Police noted that with the warm summer months, it is not uncommon for children to enter vehicles and become locked inside while playing, or animals who frequently hit the lock buttons inside vehicles while owners are attempting to enter in through a secondary door.

"While both these scenarios seem unlikely, the Orillia OPP frequently encounter them. These situations can become extremely dangerous and threaten the lives of the occupants rather quickly," police said in a news release.

Even when the weather is mild, police noted, the temperature in a vehicle can rise quickly, "posing a serious risk of heatstroke, brain damage, or death."

"Within 10 minutes, the interior of a car can become 20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature, even with windows slightly open. Children and pets are especially vulnerable as they cannot regulate their body temperature effectively," the news release stated.

Police offered the following tips:

• Never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle, even for a short time.

• Always check the back seat before locking your car.

• Use reminders like placing a personal item in the back seat to avoid forgetting.

• If you can't bring your pet with you, leave them at home in a cool, safe environment.

• Consider dog-friendly destinations or pet-sitting services when running errands.

• Always keep a set of keys on you when outside the vehicle.