MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Monday, July 31, 2017 at 12:00 Noon ET
Contact: Bill Bronrott, 202-270-4415, bronrott@gmail.com
NATIONAL HEATSTROKE PREVENTION DAY – MON. JULY 31
Look Before You Lock!
HOT CARS Act of 2017 – S.1666
MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL
WHAT:
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) will join parents who have suffered the loss of a child from vehicular heatstroke and safety advocates to announce introduction of his bill – the Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seats (HOT CARS) Act – to require cars to be equipped with existing technology to alert motorists that a child is in the rear seat when the car is turned off.
The parents, safety advocates and Senator will:
- Release latest statistics showing an alarming rise in vehicular heatstroke deaths so far this year compared to the first seven months of 2016.
- Provide a status report on the HOT CARS Act, including recent movement of the companion bill (H.R. 2801) in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced by Reps. Tim Ryan (D-13-OH), Peter King (R-2-NY) and Jan Schakowsky (D-9-IL) and cosponsored by 9 other House members.
- Issue safety tips for parents and caregivers on this National Heatstroke Prevention Day – the eve of the start of the second most deadly month of the year for hot car deaths.
WHEN:
MONDAY, JULY 31, 2017 — National Heatstroke Prevention Day — 12:00 noon ET
WHO:
- U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a chief sponsor of the HOT CARS Act of 2017 (S. 1666) that he and Senator Al Franken (D-MN) are announcing today.
- Lindsey Rogers-Seitz, of Colorado, became an advocate for technology to warn drivers of a child’s presence in the car after her son Benjamin, at age 15 months, died from heatstroke when his father unknowingly left him in the car in Ridgefield, CT on July 7, 2014.
- William and Michelle Puckett of Winchester, KY (near Lexington), whose son Bryan, at age 11 months, died from heatstroke when his childcare giver left him in her car at a shopping mall for two hours on July 13, 1999. William is Battalion Chief for the Clark County Fire Department.
- Janette Fennell, President and Founder, org
- Jackie Gillan, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
HOW TO JOIN THE MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL:
U.S. Toll Free: 800-875-3456
Canadian Toll Free: 800-648-0973
International Toll: 302-607-2001
Verbal Passcode (to be given to operator): GILL54327
LOCAL NEWS INTERVIEWS:
Parents and families who unknowingly left children in hot cars may be available for news interviews in their local communities. If interested, please inquire about availability by contacting Amber Andreasen at Amber@kidsandcars.org or 913-205-6973.
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