March 01, 2004

By: Art Peters
Website: http://www.1st-in-kids.com

Ohio Emergency Medical Services for Children Celebrates National SAFE KIDS Week

Ohio Emergency Medical Services for Children joins safety advocates nationwide by celebrating National SAFE KIDS Week and encouraging parents and caregivers to wrap their arms around safety by supervising children at play both inside and outside.

Children should have the opportunity to play, enjoy sunny days and continue to be safe all at the same time, stated Ohio SAFE KIDS Coordinator Anne Bacon By teaching simple measures and creating habit forming safety guidelines in children, they may stay at the playground or in the backyard without facing future emergency room visits.

It is estimated that this summer children ages 14 and under will be rushed to emergency rooms nearly 3 million times for serious injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes, drownings, bike crashes, pedestrian incidents, falls and other hazards. More than 2,500 of these children will die.

Tragedies peak during the summer months because children are supervised less, have more free time and engage in more outdoor activities.

To help promote SAFE KIDS Week, a colorful poster with messages of water, bike, sports and car safety was created and distributed to the State parks in Ohio. Ohio SAFE KIDS is encouraging the parks to display the posters in visible areas. The hope is that visitors will read safety messages on the poster while they participate in activities at the various park and recreation sites.

Local SAFE KIDS Coalitions will be hosting activities throughout Ohio all week that will provide parents, caregivers and children the opportunity to learn about child safety issues. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the prevention of unintentional childhood injuries--the number one killer of children ages 14 and under.

About The Author:

Art Peters is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-kids.com.  Helping parents find kid-approved clothes, toys, games, books, activities and more.