Melton CFA is responding to one or two calls of children being locked in cars most weeks, according to station officer Jayson Hirt.
He said parents at shopping centres were the main culprits.
“These calls can range from children asleep in the car to children in severe distress due to separation from their parent or from heat,’’ he said.
“In some cases, the car has left before we arrive.”
Mr Hirt’s comments followed the release of triple-0 data that showed Victorian paramedics responded to more than 1100 cases of children locked in cars in the year to August, an increase of almost 200 on the previous year.
Paramedics attended 17 cases in Melton, the sixth-highest total in the state.
Nine cases were reported in Caroline Springs, four in Melton West, three in Buninyong and one in Darley.
‘‘Tragically, there have been cases of children dying in hot cars in Victoria in recent years,’’ Ambulance Victoria group manager Brett Drummond said.
‘‘Babies and young children can’t regulate their body temperature like adults can, so being left in a hot car can quickly become life-threatening.”
Mr Hirt said there had been an increase in the number of children locking themselves in cars.
“Over the past few years, we have noticed a high number of lock-ins involving children playing with keys or remotes that the parent has provided to keep the child entertained while the parent is loading the shopping,’’ he said.
‘‘The child then hits the lock button and the car is secured with the child still inside.
“We suggest parents do not give children their keys; or that they make up a set of old keys that the children can play with.”
