News

July 2010

Safe Kids Cobb held a Bike Rodeo at Imagine International Academy of Mableton:
On July 9, 2010 Safe Kids representatives spoke to 70 students at Imagine International Academy of Mableton about the importance of bike safety.  Students in kindergarten through eighth grade participated in the bike rodeo.  The lecture cover safe places to ride, what to wear, hand signals, traffic signs, and rules of the road.  Helmets were distributed and students were taught the proper way to wear a helmet.  The students proceeded outside where Safe Kids performed safety check on the student’s bikes.  The safety check included:

1.     Seat is secure and at the right height.
2.     Tires are properly inflated.
3.     Brake check.

Once the students were checked off they were ready to roll!  They spent the afternoon riding their bikes safely.  Students received educational material and reflectors.  Students had a great time learning a valuable lesson on bike safety.

 June 2010

Safe Kids shares some bike safety tips on Cobb Fire’s 3^rd Alarm:
June 2, 2010, Amanda Walpole (Safe Kids Cobb County Co-Coordinator) talks with her friend Bubba about bike safety.  Bubba received a new bike for his birthday and wants to know how to ride it safely.  Watch the video to learn more:

Safe Kids Cobb Conducted a 4 Day Child Passenger Safety Technician Training

June 4, 2010 started the beginning of a four day child passenger safety technician class.  There were 14 participants including Cobb Fire Fighters, Cobb Police Officers, and other community members.  The National Child Passenger Safety Certification Training Program certifies individuals as child passenger safety technicians.  Once certified, technicians put their knowledge and skills to work at car seat check events.

 Car Seat Check Saturday:

On June 12, 2010 Safe Kids partnered with DFCS to conduct a car seat check at Cobb Civic Center.  During this 3 hour event Safe Kids helped 16 families and checked 20 seats. 

Safe Kids Cobb speaks at South Cobb Regional Library on Water Safety:

On June 24, 2010 Lisa Gardner (Safe Kids Co-Coordinator) spoke to 5 adults and 10 children on the importance of water safety.  The participants demonstrated active learning when practicing the “reach or throw…don’t go” rule.  More details on the water safety lecture listed below.         

 Child Passenger Safety Technician CEU Workshop:

Amanda Walpole (Safe Kids Co-Coordinator) conducted a continuing education workshop for CPST’s.  Eleven technicians participated in the education course.  The workshop focused on the LATCH system and new seats on the market.

Safe Kids stocked Life Jacket Loaner Stations:

As a continued effort to keep kids safe while swimming Safe Kids stocked the life jacket loaner stations at both Cauble Park and Dallas Landing on June 8^th and June 23^rd.  Safe Kids will maintain an active supply of life jackets through the summer.      

May 2010

Safe Kids Cobb held a Bike Rodeo at Still Elementary School:

On May 1^st Safe Kids spoke to 160 parents and 80 students about bike safety.  The bike rodeo consisted of safety stations where the Safe Kids representatives covered safe places to ride bikes, hand signals, traffic signs, rules of the road, and what to wear when riding.  The stations were set up to engage the students while discussing proper helmet use, seat height, tire pressure, brakes, and reflectors.  Students also participated in a bike safety poster/essay contest where there were four winners: Mollie Robertson (2^nd Grade), Daniella Primiano (2^nd Grade), Jordan Wilfong (4^th Grade) and Caroline Caden (4^th Grade).  Each winner received a new bike courtesy of a Safe Routes to School Grant issued to Safe Kids Cobb County in the fall.  The students enjoyed learning about bike safety and had much fun.

Car Seat Check Saturday:

On May 22, 2010 Safe Kids partnered with State Farm to conduct a car seat check at Next Care Urgent Care located in Mableton, GA. During the three hour event certified child safety technicians helped 18 families and checked 19 seats.     

Safe Kids continued their efforts to promote safety in the month of May:  Safe Kids spoke to students at The Goddard School on pedestrian safety.  Safe Kids representatives visited The Mom’s Club of Smyrna, Westside Elementary School, Kincaid Elementary school, and The Goddard School to speak to students about the importance of water safety. Details of the water safety lecture listed below.

 April 2010

Safe Kids Cobb speaks to Christian Academy of Marietta about water safety:

On April 22, 2010, Lisa Gardner (Safe Kids Cobb Co-Coordinator) spoke to 32 students at the Christian Academy in Marietta about water safety.  The session began with a short video that teaches the children some important safety rules to follow when in or around water.  Lisa then discussed the rules with the children in more detail. 

1.     Swim with a buddy in a supervised area.

2.     Be cool, follow the rules.

3.     Think so you don’t sink.

4.     Look before you leap.

5.     Reach or throw, don’t go.

6.     Don’t just pack it, wear your jacket.

7.     Learn about boating before you go floating.

8.     Too much sun is no fun.

9.     Wave, tide or ride – follow the guide.  

She follows the lesson up with asking the children to show their family and friends what they learned during the session.  The students had a great time learning a valuable lesson on water safety. 

Safe Kids Cobb speaks to Primrose School at Macland Pointe about bike safety

On April 23, 2010, Lisa Gardner (Safe Kids Cobb Co-Coordinator), Lisa Grisham (Safe Kids Representative) and KaDana Simmons (Safe Kids Cobb Intern) spoke to 14 students and parents from Primrose School at Macland Pointe the importance of bike safety.  During the session, the Safe Kids representatives demonstrated the correct placement and usage of a bike helmet and discussed with the participants the rules of the road.

Car Seat Check Saturday

On April 24, 2010, Safe Kids Cobb County partnered with Montlick and Associates, Regal Lager, Inc. and volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to conduct a car seat check at the Babies R Us located in Kennesaw, GA.  During this three hour event, certified child passenger safety technicians helped 50 families and assisted with 61 car seat instillations. 

March 9, 2010  Safe Kids Cobb County signed as a Still Elementary School Partner in Education. One resource Safe Kids recently provided Still with was a solution for the congested carline problem. This improvement included implementing a system of specific entrance and exit lines, safety cones, and designating the school a “no idle zone”.

January 2010
Safe Kids Cobb speaks to Head Start Pre-K students about Poison Prevention:
On January 14, 2010, Amanda Walpole (Safe Kid Cobb Co-Coordinator) and Ka Dana Simmons (Safe Kids Cobb Intern) spoke to 220 Pre-K students at the Cobb County Head Start on Allgood Street about poison prevention.  The educational session was started off with a short video that tells the story of Spike the porcupine who finds himself in a scary situation.  Spike was on an adventure one day when while on the adventure he finds himself face-to-face with items in his house that are poisons.  Spike educates the children to not taste, touch or smell any item that they are unsure of by using his analogy of “quills up – stay away” and “quills down – it’s ok”.  After the brief video, Amanda and Ka Dana play a “quills up / quills down” game with the children by showing them some items that could be in their house that look similar to other items and teaching them to check with their parents first, before touching, tasting or smelling any item in their house. 

December 2009
Safe Kids Cobb County awards Georgia State Patrol Officer – Volunteer of the Year: 
During the annual Coalition Appreciation Luncheon, Safe Kids Cobb County Coordinators (Amanda Walpole & Lisa Gardner) name Tony Rathel (Georgia State Patrol Office and CPST) volunteer of the year.  Tony is an officer with the Georgia State Patrol Education Division and has been assisting Safe Kids Cobb County on a weekly basis at its inspection station for the majority of the 2009 calendar year.  Tony chose this assignment voluntarily because he views child passenger safety to be one of the number one priorities of his division.  Tony’s name was engraved on a perpetual plaque that is displayed in the Safe Kids section of the Safety Village.

November 2009
Cobb County Public Safety hosts its annual Charity Golf Tournament benefitting Safe Kids Cobb County 
On November 16, 2009, Cobb County Public Safety hosted its annual charity golf tournament benefitting Safe Kids Cobb County.  The golf course was filled with 144 players from various businesses and public service agencies in the Cobb County area to raise funds for Safe Kids.   

October 2009
International Walk To School Day 
On October 7, 2009, Safe Kids Cobb County and FedEx partnered with 4 schools to celebrate International Walk To School Day.  The morning started off raining heavily, but that did not stop participants who walked to school at Still Elementary in Powder Springs.  Later that day, students from Hollydale Elementary school in Marietta joined each other for an organized walk off campus as the school day ended.  Education and reflective materials were handed out to students at Milford Elementary School in Marietta and Floyd Middle School in Mableton.

 Fall Festival
On October 31, 2009, Safe Kids Cobb County partnered with Jim Miller Park and Parks and Recreation to hosts its annual fall festival.  This festival is held every year as an alternative activity for families to participate in instead of trick-or-treating.  Since Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year marking an increase in pedestrian incidents, Safe Kids, Jim Miller Park and Parks and Rec. hosts this event in an effort to get kids off the streets.  Each year this event proves to be a great success with nearly 3000 attendees.

Safe Kids Cobb speaks to Head Start
Pre-K students about pedestrian Safety.

Life jacket loaner station at Cauble Park.

Life jacket loaner station at Dallas
Landing Park.