Post by OnCrime on Nov 15, 2006 23:57:57 GMT -5
Safe Kids Charlotte Mecklenburg, a coalition of area law enforcement and other safety-related organizations, was named recently as the National Safe Kids Coalition of the Year.
The award was announced last month by officials of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury.
Medical and safety officials say accidental injury is the leading killer of children 14 and younger.
"Every local Safe Kids coalition has saved countless lives," said Amy Krise, coalition coordinator for Safe Kids Charlotte Mecklenburg. "To be singled out of such dedicated company is a huge vote of confidence in our work here in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County."
There are 314 state and local Safe Kids coalitions throughout the United States.
Coalition members in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg chapter cover a wide range of medical and safety concerns:
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police.
• Charlotte Fire Department.
• Mecklenburg County Health Department.
• Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office.
• Mecklenburg EMS.
• Carolinas Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
• Carolinas Poison Center.
"We partner together, and that's what did it for us," said Krise, who traveled to Washington to accept the award Oct. 19.
Safe Kids Charlotte Mecklenburg is responsible for creating and expanding awareness programs for pedestrian, bicycle, water, fire and gun safety.
But the most popular program by far is the coalition's car seat inspection program. This award reflects the coalition's success in 2005, which included inspecting over 400 car seats in a one-day event, as well as conducting more than 15,000 child passenger safety seat inspections since 2002.
The coalition does more than inspect car seats.
As part of Berryhill Elementary School's Field Day, the Safe Kids Coalition sponsored a bicycle safety station. Charlotte-Mecklenburg fire officers instructed Berryhill's fourth- and fifth-graders in bicycle safety.
Each Berryhill student who participated was rewarded with a free bicycle safety helmet.
"We have two bike trailers that we can take on location to help educate students at schools," said Jo Provost, a fire and life safety educator with the Charlotte Fire Department.
As a follow-up to that program and in conjunction with National Walk to School Day, Provost brought her group back to Berryhill to present a pedestrian safety program to the entire student body. Safe Kids Worldwide and FedEx Express teamed up to discuss pedestrian safety.
Berryhill Elementary's principal, Paul Pratt, was glad they came.
"In a school district and community that has high expectations, it is gratifying to know that we can have this kind of commitment and cooperation from our community partners," Pratt said.
For information about Safe Kids Charlotte Mecklenburg, call 704-336-7233 or check www.safekidscharmeck.org.
Article copied from The Charlotte Observer. Link to article: tinyurl.com/yb2vyq
