Over the holiday weekend, at least eight children died in vehicles that became submerged in water.
KidsAndCars.org president and founder, Janette Fennell said, “It is impossible to imagine what these families are going through after the tragic loss of their children. The resqme™ tool is something that everyone can carry on their keychain and in their vehicles to help make sure they are prepared to act quickly when mere seconds count.”
On Thanksgiving, a vehicle crashed into a pond in Belleview, KS. Two adults in the vehicle were able to escape, but they were unable to get the 4 children out. The children, Ronald (12), Travis (9), Moses (4) and Axton (8 months), all died at the scene. One of the adults was the children’s mother who is hospitalized with injuries from the crash.
The following day (11/29), a vehicle carrying seven children and two adults was swept away by floodwater in Gila County, AZ. Three of the seven children went missing and two have been confirmed deceased.
On Saturday (11/30), a vehicle carrying three children was swept away in flood waters in Bollinger County, MO. An 8-year-old and a 5-year-old boy drowned, while a 2-year-old was injured.
KidsAndCars.org
, is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to saving children’s lives in and around vehicles. The organization encourages all drivers to carry the
resqme™ emergency safety tool
on their keys at all times to be prepared in emergency situations like these. The life-saving tool allows you to easily
cut a jammed seat belt and break the side windows of a vehicle
. It is available on their website for less than $8 each.
When a vehicle becomes submerged in water, occupants may have less than 60 seconds to escape before pressure from the water surrounding the vehicle becomes too great to open a door or even break out a window. Water can cause the vehicle’s electrical system to short out, preventing electric windows from opening.
