www.safekidsgf.com

The Problem: Accidental/Unintentional childhood injury

Unintentional injuries are the number one cause of death among children ages 19 and under in the United States. Each year one out of every four children needs medical attention for an accidental injury. In addition, most of these unintentional injuries and deaths are preventable and Safe Kids Grand Forks is here to help.

Kids are 2 times as likely to be involved in a pedestrian incident on Halloween than any other day of the year. That’s why we love to promote Halloween or fall harvest events designed for kids in a secured location (parking lot, pumpkin patch) or indoor and off of streets.

If you have an event that meets that criteria that you would like to spread the word about, consider adding it to our Grand Forks & Regional Halloween and Harvest Events. This is a clearinghouse for all things fall for the kids in our region. Head on over to the discussion tab and give a description of the event or upload a flyer. We will keep it open until the end of the month of October. If you have any trouble with accessing the Facebook event, feel free to email your event information to Tina at cesanders@altru.org to get it listed.

Plan ahead for trick or treating and don’t let bulky costumes scare you away from correctly using your car seat. Avoid bulky clothes or costumes under the harness straps.

(Information courtesy of National Child Passenger Safety Board)

Walk To School Day

Throughout the region, school children will be taking it to the streets for International Walk to School Day. While the official day is October 12^th this year, we will be celebrating at various schools throughout the month of October. Some of our schools that are more rural or whose students have fewer opportunities to walk are designating alternative drop-off sites so kids who ride either in a parent vehicle or on the bus can participate too.

Even if you can’t walk to school that day, we encourage you to step outside before or after school and enjoy some physical activity in the fresh air, enjoy our fall colors and reconnect to your neighborhood. We like that Walk to School Day is early in the school year as it gives an opportunity to create a healthy new habit to build into your routine.

Check with your child’s school to see if they are hosting a walk to school day event and join in the fun!

Fire Prevention Week is October 9 - 15

Join NFPA® in celebrating the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week™ (FPW).

Today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.