IN TOUCH WITH MP EARL DREESHEN

SAFE KIDS

May 15, 2009

May 25th to 31st is Safe Kids Week across Canada.  It is an annual awareness campaign that tries to reduce the number and severity of preventable childhood injuries through education.  1.6 million Children between 1990 and 2007 visited emergency departments for injuries, that is on average 94,000 Children a year injured in some way: That is the entire population of Red Deer.  9000 children a year alone are injured because of accidents involving furniture, televisions and large appliances.  By teaching our Children about safety and being more aware of the environment they are in and what to do as adults, we can prevent the majority of these incidents.

The website, www.safekidscanada.ca, offers many help tips on child proofing your home and on what to do if your child is involved in a hazardous situation. It is a valuable online resource.  Another guide is the free Kid Safe Activity Book that comes out twice a year.  If you are a parent or an educator you will find it of great use.  The book has lots of games, puzzles and colouring pages combined with safety information about a variety of situations.  From proper safety around buses, railway tracks and camp fires to how to handle bullying, strangers and emergency situations this book is a valuable resource.  I feel children will find it fun and parents will find it useful.

You can call 1-780-414-6202 or email kidsafeprogram@telus.net to order a copy mailed to you.  The activity book is made possible by generous donations from many businesses and organizations from across Alberta, and many from our own community here in Central Alberta.

With the summer months coming, with school soon to be out and families traveling, it is important that everyone be aware of safety.  If children are informed about what to do in a hazardous situation and adults are consciences of the safety environment children are in then we can all prevent accidents and keep our children safe.

Until next time. . .

Earl Dreeshen, MP
Red Deer