With the weather warming up for summer we will look to water activities to cool us down outdoors.
Summer is associated with pools, the beach, running through sprinklers, slip n’ slides or even just a hose down to relieve the heat.
But with the fun of summer comes the dangers which heat can present, such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke and in certain cases even severe burns.
The Las Vegas Firefighters are sharing the word to warn parents of a very serious, yet little-known danger which can cause severe injury if unaware.
The Las Vegas Fire Rescue tweeted: “Here in Las Vegas, a garden hose exposed to direct sunlight during summer can heat the water inside the hose (not flowing) to 130-140 degrees which can cause burns especially to children & animals. Let the water flow a few minutes to cool before spraying on people or animals.”
A garden hose that is exposed to direct sunlight during summer can heat the water inside the hose (not flowing) to 130-140 degrees which can in fact cause burns especially to children & animals.
Let the water flow a few minutes to cool before spraying on people or animals. pic.twitter.com/FMkzEt27xl
— Las Vegas FireRescue (@LasVegasFD) June 4, 2018
According to Cafe Mom this photo which was shared with the warning was of baby Nicholas, who was severely burned 2 summers ago when his Mother was filling up a wadding pool.
The boy was just 9 months old and suffered second-degree burns on 30 percent of his body.
Sadly, Domnique Woodger, the boys Mother thought that the boy was screaming because of not liking water, not because he was getting burned, according to KTLA 5.
But then it became apparent he was burned, as his skin started peeling and he had blisters.
KTLA 5 also said that it was 115 degrees outside on that day which means the hose could’ve reached 150 degrees, and according to Captain Larry Subervi of the Phoenix Fire Department, with those temperatures, it could just take a spray of 10-15 seconds to cause second-degree burns.
Parents, please be sure to check the temperature of your hose water.
Here’s to a safe and fun Summer!