What is safe kids?
Safety & Awareness | June 12, 2020
By Kathi Hegranes, PARTY Program Coordinator, Injury Prevention & Outreach Coordinator, CPST-I, ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah
Hopefully you’re familiar with Safe Kids and see the helpful safety tips regularly in the Greater Valley Guide. Take a peek below at a few of our highest risk advocacy areas.
Car Seat Fitting Stations / Community Events
Safe Kids is your local/regional resource for life-saving education, car seat fitting station appointments and community car seat checkup events. Did you know that 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly AND that the average car seat has four major errors? Also everyone is likely to have installed a seat incorrectly – there are no statistical differences between age, education or income and correct installation/use.
Water Watchers
Safe Kids wants to remind you that drowning is a silent event. The Water Watcher program helps you designate a responsible adult whose sole objective is to “watch” the kids in water. Most drownings occur when adults are distracted (talking or looking at their phone) or believe another adult is watching.
Safe Sleep
Safe Kids works to ensure all parents and caregivers know the safest way for infants to sleep is (A) lone, on their (B)ack, and in a (C)rib. A sofa, bed or other surfaces can lead to tragic results.
Falls
According to local statistics the Fox Valley region leads the state in childhood falls requiring emergency department visits or hospitalizations. Whether occurring on playgrounds or in the home there are preventative actions that can be taken. Please know that supervision significantly reduces playground injuries.
Bike & Pedestrian Safety
Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities continue to rise in the U.S. Bicycle helmet use can reduce the risk of serious head injury by more than 50%. A good fit should be snug but not annoyingly tight, sit low on the forehead and not move when you slide it from front to back and side to side. Safe Kids can help you learn to fit your helmets properly. Pedestrian safety is more than simply looking left-right-and left again. Please remember to set a good example by giving your full attention to crossing the street and when in parking lots.
Safe Kids Fox Valley is led by Outagamie County Public Health, which provides dedicated and caring staff, operation support and other resources to assist in achieving our common goal: keeping your kids safe. Based on the needs of the community, this coalition implements evidence-based programs that help parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries. Other member agencies include: hospitals, fire departments, police departments, regional public health departments, and many other organizations committed to preventing childhood injuries.
To keep up with current safety tips, recalls and upcoming activities, Like our Facebook page at Safe Kids Fox Valley.
Do you have a special interest in one of these areas and have a little time to devote to a cause?
We’re looking for engaged community members to join us! For more information, please email: PHQuestions@outagamie.org
