Chief Saves Child Trapped in Hot Car

On August 27th, Selden Assistant Fire Chief David Panebianco was in the parking lot of the TJ Maxx Shopping Center (323 Middle Country Rd, Selden, NY) when a woman asked him to help a child who had been trapped in a locked vehicle for at least fifteen minutes. The car was not running, and the windows were open about a half-inch. In an interview, Chief Panebianco said “I could see that she was breathing, but she was definitely sweating.”

Chief Panebianco contacted police via radio for assistance, and attempted to force open the car door with a thin metal rod. Two Selden Fire District employees nearby heard Chief Panebianco’s radio call and rushed to help. One of the employees was able to force his hand through a crack in the window and unlock the door.

The Selden Fire Department took the four-year-old child to Stony Brook University Hospital as a precaution. Her father was arrested on charges of endangering the welfare of a child.