Checking in: Neighbors and others can help prevent heat-related tragedies

It might seem like no big deal and certainly not worth taking up space on a commentary page, but there is a reason that health officials are worried about the next couple of days and the high temperatures that are expected.

And no, it is not global warming.

There are a number of elderly and handicapped people as well as those who live in poverty, who do not have the means or the access to keep themselves cool when the mercury shoots for the sky.

For many seniors who live alone with family far away, a quick visit from a neighbor is their own safety check. It only takes a minute to offer a cool drink or just to make sure that your elderly neighbor is managing the heat. The same is true for those who might not have the resources to buy air conditioning for their homes. Have an old fan sitting around? Many charities around the area could put it to good use.

And it goes without saying that children or pets locked in a parked car should be reported to law enforcement officials immediately.

It isn’t an earth-shattering message, and not particularly profound, but a call to arms now just might save a life or two. So, that makes it worth the reading.

Published in Editorials on August 1, 2006 10:57 AM