Bike Helmets

A helmet can protect your child or teen from a serious head or brain injury. However, a helmet will only protect when it fits well. Follow these three steps when fitting a helmet:

  1. Helmet sits level on your child’s head and rests 2 finger widths above the eyebrows.
  2. The straps are even, form a “Y” under each earlobe, and lay flat against the head.
  3. The buckle chin strap is loose enough so your child can breath, but should be tight enough that if your child opens their mouth, you can see the helmet pull down on top.

Learn more about helmet safety with this Safety Tip Sheet

To help promote bicycle safety, we have bike helmets available for children within our District.

Helmets are custom fit and the wearer must be present for the fitting. Click here to submit a helmet fitting request.

Babysitter Boss

Babysitter Boss is a video series created by the Safe Sitter program to teach 11-14 year olds everything they need to know about babysitting. Click here to subscribe to the YouTube channel.

Click here to find a babysitting class near you.

Water Safety

(Information from Safe Kids Worldwide, https://www.safekids.org/poolsafety.)

Drowning Facts:

  • Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1-4.
  • And it’s the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children 19 and under.
  • In 2018, 918 children under the age of 19 drowned and more than 7,000 were seen in the emergency room.

Water Safety Tips:

  1. Watch kids when they are in or around water. Keep young children and weak swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Make sure more experienced swimmers are with a partner every time.
  2. Choose a Water Watcher. When there are several adults present, choose one to be responsible for watching children in or near the water for a certain period of time, such as 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, select another adult to be the Water Watcher.
  3. Teach children how to swim. Every child is different, so enroll children in swim lessons when they are ready. Consider their age, development and how often they are around water.
  4. Make sure kids learn these five water survival skills.
    • Step or jump into water over their head and return to the surface.
    • Turn around in the water and orient to safety.
    • Float or tread water.
    • Combine breathing with forward movement in the water.
    • Exit the water.
  5. Teach children that swimming in open water is different from swimming in a pool. Be aware of situations that are unique to open water, such as limited visibility, depth, uneven surfaces, currents and undertow. These potential hazards can make swimming in open water more challenging than swimming in a pool.
  6. Learn CPR and basic water rescue skills. It is important to know how to respond in an emergency without putting yourself at risk of drowning. Learning these skills may help you save a life.

Close Before You Doze

Closed doors can reduce fire growth, limit damage to your home, keep temperatures down, and can even save your life if you become trapped.

Preventing Window Falls

According to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, window falls are the most common unintentional injury requiring children to stay in the hospital in Pierce County, with the most common victims being children under 5.
Here are a few tips for preventing window falls:

  • Keep windows closed and locked when unattended.
  • Use a window stop or window guard to limit openings to 4 inches or less on any accessible window that is more than 6 feet off the ground.
  • Be aware that window screens are meant to pop out easily in the event of an emergency and will not stop a child from falling.

For more safety information and window safety products, please visit www.stopat4.com