City Of Las Vegas: Extreme Heat Safety For Pets And People

Las Vegas NV

11 June, 2022

3:35 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Las Vegas: June 9, 2022 Excessive heat can cause injury and illness because most people are not acclimated to the heat; it can also increase the chance of fires in homes and businesses. Las Vegas Fire & Rescue and Animal Protective Services share tips below for keeping pets and humans alike safe in the summer heat. Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Our heat-related calls average one or two a day into the Las Vegas Combined Fire & Medical Communications Center. During an Excessive Heat Warning, we can go to as many as 50 calls per day. Most importantly, NEVER leave pets or people locked in hot cars, even for just a few minutes. The temperature can rise to 135 degrees in less than five minutes, which can cause death for children or pets. If you see a child or pet unattended in a parked car, you should call 9-1-1 and alert authorities. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can happen quickly. With heat stroke, the victim will suffer dizziness, light-headedness and sweat profusely. Have the victim rest in a cool place and drink fluids, such as water. This condition should clear in a few minutes. Heat Stroke is a medical emergency. Usually the person will faint and may remain unconscious. Their skin will be hot, red in color and the victim will not be sweating. You should move the victim to a cool place, wet the skin with cool, wet cloths, and do not give the victim anything to drink. Call 9-1-1. Tips for your home and vehicle during extreme heat Many people have refrigerators or freezers in the garage or in a storage room that is not cooled by an air conditioner. To keep the interior of the refrigerator/freezer cold, the compressor has to work extra hard. If the room or garage is very hot, it means the compressor on the refrigerator/freezer could work almost constantly. When the compressor is working, even properly, it gets extremely hot and can cause a fire. Extension cords should not be used with refrigerator/freezer or air-conditioning units. If they are running constantly and the extension cord is not designed to carry the required electric load, the cord will heat up quickly and cause a fire. Any chemicals that are left exposed to direct sunlight in this extreme heat can cause a fire. Paints, fuels, and the like can cause explosions in some cases. One house on the north side of city was completely destroyed because the occupant was painting on the patio and left a small can of paint thinner exposed to the sun in extreme heat. Within minutes the thinner ignited, started the back of the house on fire and spread quickly. Equipment, regardless of what it is, needs to be maintained from time to time. Check units for frayed wires, and keep units clean. Fans accumulate dust and dirt around the motor, which has caused many fires. Vacuum the fan from time to time to keep the motor clean. Air-conditioner units should be maintained by a qualified air-conditioner technician at least once every two years to make sure they are clean and working efficiently and safely. Any type of aerosol can should not be left in vehicles, especially in direct sunlight. Other items, such as videotapes, CDs or DVDs, can be damaged. And small electronic equipment, such as cell phones, cameras, DVD players, IPODs and the like, can be damaged because of the heat, which may reach as high as 160 degrees in the vehicle. Animal Protective Services Our animal control officers work seven days a week and are available to help make sure pets are being cared for. Never leave pets locked in hot cars, even for just a few minutes. If you see an unattended pet in distress in a parked car, call 9-1-1 and alert authorities. Please do not take it upon yourself to break the window of a car; wait for the authorities to arrive. Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water and don't take them for walks during the hottest parts of the day. Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. The pads of dogs' feet can easily become burned. Pavement in direct sun gets hot enough to cause second- or third-degree burns. Precautions need to be taken if pets are taken outdoors that include wearing dog booties to protect their feet. We've strengthened our animal cruelty laws to help protect pets. The Las Vegas City Council has updated the city's municipal code related to animal cruelty by requiring: -Cooling devices when the temperature is expected to exceed 105 degrees (misters, swamp coolers, or air conditioners) -No animal is tethered, tied, or restrained for more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period; and -No animal can be tethered during a National Weather Service heat advisory. You can always report concerns to city of Las Vegas Animal Protective Services by calling 702-229-6444, option 2. This press release was produced by the City of Las Vegas. The views expressed here are the author's own.