adeca.alabama.gov
Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $127,780 grant to prevent the accidental death and injury of children left in hot vehicles.
The grant will enable Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham to conduct a statewide campaign to remind parents and caretakers that leaving children alone in vehicles even for a short time can have severe consequences.
“The loss of a child’s life due to being carelessly left alone in a hot vehicle is an unspeakable tragedy that sadly continues to occur across this nation,” said Ivey. “This grant will perform a vital role in enabling Children’s of Alabama to conduct a public awareness campaign to drive home the critical message that children must never be left unattended in vehicles. Young lives are at stake.”
According to Children’s, pediatric vehicular deaths due to heatstroke are a leading cause of vehicle related deaths in children in the United States.
The medical center through its Health Education and Safety Center will conduct safety and public awareness campaigns to reinforce their message.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“ADECA is pleased to join Gov. Ivey and Children’s of Alabama in this life-saving campaign,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.
