LYNNWOOD — A 4-year-old girl was severely injured when she fell from the third floor of a townhome Saturday evening in Lynnwood, the latest in a string of falls as a summer heat wave rolls in.
Around 8 p.m., firefighters responded to reports of a child who fell out of a window in the 15000 block of 40th Avenue W, South County Fire spokesperson Christie Veley said. Paramedics transported the girl to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
An update on her condition was not available Monday morning.
Authorities reported 14 children in the county have fallen from windows this year, already surpassing last year’s count of 12, Veley said Monday. Eight came in June.
The coming week will bring temperatures in the 80s to the Puget Sound lowlands, according to the National Weather Service.
Year after year, kids suffer serious injuries from falls from windows in Snohomish County as temperatures rise. In the Pacific Northwest, air conditioners are relatively a rarity, so people tend to crack the window to let in a breeze.
Veley said even more falls are happening due to new construction of single-family homes, where the bedrooms are usually on the top floor. Children who fall from those heights are landing on hard surfaces like concrete, she added.
In March, a 4-year-old boy was injured when he fell from a fourth-floor apartment window in north Everett.
The Everett Fire Department responded to two toddler falls in about a week this month. Around 4 p.m. June 19, another 4-year-old girl fell from a third-story window at a home in south Everett. Paramedics transported her to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
On Wednesday, a 3-year-old boy fell from a third-story window, according to the fire department. The child suffered traumatic head injuries.
South County Fire encouraged parents to get window guards, which people can find online for purchase or at your local fire department for low-income residents.
Seattle Children’s Hospital offers a few tips to keep your kids safe near windows:
• Always supervise young children;
• Open windows 4 inches or less;
• Use window stops to prevent them from opening more than 4 inches, and guards if you want to open them further; and
• Keep furniture kids can climb on away from windows.
Maya Tizon: 425-339-3434; maya.tizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon.
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