Remember, It’s Legal in Oregon to Break the Window if You See Kids or Pets Trapped in a Hot Car

When outside temps reach 95 degrees, the temperature inside cars can reach 138 degrees in an hour.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Sam Fogleman/Released)

One of the most dangerous things you can do in extreme heat is leave pets and humans inside of cars. Temperatures in Portland are expected to hit 107 degrees this week, meaning pets, children and even adults waiting in cars are at an extremely high risk.

So keep in mind: In Oregon, there is now a law, passed in June, allowing people to break the windows of a vehicle to rescue a pet or child.

The person who breaks the window is protected from civil or criminal liability providing they contact law enforcement before breaking the window, or as soon as it's practical, have a "good faith and reasonable belief" that entering the vehicle is necessary because the child or animal is in imminent danger and remain at the scene until law enforcement arrives.

When the temperature is 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can reach 99 degrees in just 10 minutes and 123 degrees in an hour—and cracking the window doesn't do much to help.

When outside temps reach 95 degrees, the temperature inside cars can reach 138 degrees and up, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. According to the National Weather Service, 39 children died related to being in hot cars in 2016. So far, 29 children have died in 2017.

Here is a list of cooling centers in Portland, where you can bring both children and pets:

  • Multnomah County Walnut Park Building, 5325 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland
  • Multnomah County East Building, 600 N.E. 8th St., Gresham
  • Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 N.E. 40th Ave., Portland

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