By Brendan Heidner
Ranger-Review Staff Writer

With the weather getting hotter as the summer goes on, the Mayor of Glendive shared a few reminders at the conclusion of Tuesday’s Glendive City Council meeting about helping others stay safe.

“Glendive and Eastern Montana has been experience quite a bit of hot weather over the last few weeks,” Mayor Teresea Olson said. “Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes that same village to keep everyone and everything healthy.”

She noted that it is crucial to check on our neighbors, friends and family to make sure their air conditioners work properly, they have adequate food and water and everyone is staying hydrated.

“There’s times when all of us misstep in our daily lives, such as forgetting to practice important safety measures for ourselves and those we care for,” Olson said.

With the hotter temperatures, she noted that people should be careful when using there car after letting it sit in the sun for so long.

“The temperatures inside a vehicle can raise almost 10 degrees every ten minutes even with the windows cracked,” she said.

As an example, Olson noted that a parked car in direct sunlight of 72 F can reach an internal temperature of about 119 F in a single hour.

Additionally, this can result in dangerous conditions for both humans and pets if left in the car for too long.

“Sometimes when we park in the shade, it moves (and) the sun moves, so if we see somebody’s pets that got left (in the car) and the shade moved, let’s just do a friendly reminder for them,” Olson said.

Moreover, Olson encouraged everyone to look out for the people around them and ensure that everyone is safe on days with extreme temperatures.

“If we see our neighbors or a friend struggling to keep up with their care for themselves, their children or their pets, please offer to help and if you’re the community member struggling, please accept (the help),” she said. “If somebody’s life or a pets life is in danger, of course that’s an emergency and then practice that as well, but let’s all just remember to be good neighbors to each other.”

To listen to Olson’s full comment, listen on our website at www.rangerreview.com/heatwave .

Reach Brendan Heidner at news@rangerreview.com.