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National Heat Stroke Awareness and Prevention Day

Posted at 6:28 PM, Jul 31, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-31 18:29:19-04

Parent advocate Reggie McKinnon spoke at the Cape Coral Fire Department during a press conference discussing preventing heat strokes in cars.

Reggie lost his 17-month-old daughter, Peyton, on March 8, 2010 after leaving her in his car while at work.

He says he'll remember this day for the rest of his life.

"Losing a child that's under your watch is something that as a parent, is the last thing you would ever want," said McKinnon.

Seven years ago, he meant to bring Peyton to daycare after her doctor's appointment Monday morning, but forgot that she was still in the back seat when he went to work that day.

He said, "I spent you know a really long time trying to figure out why me and why her. I still don't really have those answers."

McKinnon is one of many parents that have lost a child after being left in a hot car.

Division Chief Ryan Lamb of the Cape Coral Fire Department says every second counts when a child is left alone in a car, no matter how cool it may seem to be outside.

"Even when you think it's a nice, mild day, again there's no excuse to leave a child in the car," said Lamb.

McKinnon and his family have helped sign the Hot Cars Act of 2017 which would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue a rule that requires cars to alert the driver if there is a passenger in the back seat when the car is turned off.