The hottest months of the year are here. Protecting yourself, your family and pets from the scorching heat is vital in the Valley.

With temperatures that easily reach 110 degrees, and even some days soaring to 120, reminders on safety tips seems necessary. Brian Lincks, President of City Property Management, says even though summer safety tips are “no-brainers” every year, “we see senseless stories about people leaving children unattended and pets outside or in a hot vehicle and we just all need reminders on how we can better protect our loved ones and valuables.” City Property Management offers these tips:

Children, Pets and The Arizona Summer

• Keep pets and children inside as much as possible during the summer months. Though dogs and children love the outside, it can be dangerous for them to be left out.
• If it is an outside dog, make sure it always has fresh, clean water, a nice shady area, and a fan where it can cool off.
• Or buy a kiddie pool so the dog can jump in an instantly cool off. Make sure to change the water daily to prevent unwanted pests like mosquitoes.
• Make sure the birdbaths have fresh water for the winged friends.
• Never let children play in the backyard unattended.
• Most importantly: keep animals and children out of the car, never leave them in there, not even for a minute. In just five minutes, the inside of a car can rise up to more than 150 degrees, which are deathly hot temperatures.
• Also, never let valuables like iPhones, tablets, or any electronic devices sit in the car. They can easily over-heat and never work again.

Vacation

Summer is the time for families to go on road trips, cruises and flights, anywhere to vacate away from the heat. But some people forget that what they leave behind in the Valley must endure the melting temperatures.

• Deactivate the garage door opener.
• Turn off the water to your home and drain the hot water heater.
• Have a neighbor or friend take care of your pets, if not take them to a pet hotel.
• Try to keep vehicles in the garage while on vacation so it’s not sitting in the heat the whole time.
• Double-check, even triple-check, to make sure the backyard, pool gates, sliding glass doors are securely locked.