Millions of Americans are dealing with a serious heat wave sweeping across the country.

AAA East Central is urging motorists about the dangers of leaving children and pets in a hot car.

“A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s and when a child is left in a hot vehicle, the situation could become life-threatening very quickly,” Terri Rae Anthony, safety adviser, AAA East Central said.

“As parents, caregivers and bystanders, we all play a role in making sure children and animals are protected from these dangerous conditions.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 900 children have died of heat stroke in the last 25 years after being left or trapped in a vehicle. In just 10 minutes, the temperature inside a vehicle can heat up by 20 degrees and become deadly.

AAA East Central urges motorists To ACT:

•A – Avoid heatstroke by never leaving a child in the car alone, not even for a minute.

•C – Create electronic reminders or put something in the back seat like a cellphone, purse or briefcase that will be needed when exiting the car. Always lock vehicles and never leave car keys or car remote where children can get to them.

•T – Take action and immediately call 911 if a child or pet is found unattended in a car.

When it comes to heatstroke, animals are also at risk. Leaving them in a vehicle while running errands, taking a break at a rest stop during a road trip or for any other reason, can have deadly consequences. Animals left in hot cars can face irreversible organ damage, heatstroke, brain damage and, in extreme cases, death.

Signs of heatstroke in dogs and cats can include:

•Panting

•Excessive drooling

•Vomiting

•Reddened gums and tongue

•Rapid heart rate

•Wobbly, uncoordinated movement

Animals are also at a more severe rate of risk when they have factors like age (very young, very old), obesity, poor heart/lung conditioning, are a short-nosed, flat-faced breed or have a thick hair coat.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 69 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.