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 3rd 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 8th and June 23rd.  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 1st 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 (2nd Grade), Daniella Primiano (2nd Grade), Jordan Wilfong (4th Grade) and Caroline Caden (4th 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: 
On September 10, 2009, Amanda Walpole (Safe Kids Cobb Co-Coordinator) and Ravvi Jenkins (Safe Kids Cobb Intern) spoke to 220 Pre-K students at the Cobb County Head Start on Allgood Street about pedestrian safety.  They started the lecture out with a catchy song about crossing the street while acting out the parts.  They then went on to teach the students the 5-steps to crossing the street safely:

Stop at the edge of the curb.
Look left, right, left and Listen.
Make eye contact and give a wave to drivers before crossing to be sure you are seen.
Walk – don’t run – across the street.
Continue to look and listen for cars while crossing.

The students had a great time learning a valuable lesson on pedestrian safety.

Safe Kids Cobb County donates child safety seats to EMS.
Safe Kids Cobb County recently donated 10 new child safety seats for ambulances to Puckett EMS in Austell, to ensure that children are transported safely in ambulances. 

Safe Kids Cobb and Puckett EMS want to remind caregivers to make sure their child is buckled up in the safest way. They advise caregivers to read their vehicle's manual and car seat instructions, ensure the child is the right size for the safety restraint or consult a certified child passenger safety technician for proper instructions.  For more information, call (770) 852-3285.

Cobb Safety Village opening with two events.
Cobb
County will soon unveil its state-of-the-art safety training facility. The 27,000-square-foot Cobb Safety Village was designed to offer hands-on education for all ages. This facility will also house the Safe Kids' Child Safety Seat Inspection Station.  It is the first of its kind in the Southeast and will officially open with a ribbon cutting ceremony 10 a.m., Friday, July 31.  The public is invited to the community open house 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1, at 1220 Al Bishop Dr, Marietta.  The open house will feature food, fun learning opportunities, safety education programs and full tours of the village. For more information on this event, call 770-852-3270 or visit http://cobbcounty.org/safetyvillage

It's time to review water safety tips to help prevent drownings among children.  Please take the Memorial Day water safety pledge today by clicking here.

Safe Kids Week is April 26 – May 3 
Please take a moment this week to learn what you can do to make your child’s environment safer and help prevent unintentional injuries.  Click here for a tip sheet designed for each stage of your child’s development. 

If your child is under 4’9” please make sure he or she is riding in the appropriate child restraint in the car.  To ensure you are properly using a child safety seat, please call 770-514-2369 to set up an appointment with a child passenger safety technician at the Safe Kids Cobb County car seat inspection station.


National Poison Prevention Week is March 15-21.  Please take a moment this week to make sure your child’s environment is safe and free of poison hazards.  Click here to learn what you can do to prevent childhood poisoning.  Visit the Georgia Poison Center for more information at: http://www.georgiapoisoncenter.org/

EWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2008
Release #09-065
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Pool And Spa Safety Law Aimed At Preventing Drain Entrapments of Children Goes Into Effect This Week:
Failure to comply with Congressionally-enacted law can result in closure.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is again reminding public pool and spa owners and operators nationwide that the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act becomes effective on December 19, 2008. This law requires installation of anti-entrapment drain covers and other systems as outlined in the Act.

The Pool and Spa Safety Act was enacted by Congress and signed by President Bush on December 19, 2007, and is designed to prevent the tragic and hidden hazard of drain entrapments and eviscerations in pools and spas. Under the law, all public pools and spas must have ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 compliant drain covers installed and a second anti-entrapment system installed, when there is only a single main drain. Congress gave all affected pool and spa operators one year to comply with this law.

Public pools and spas that operate year-round are expected to be in compliance by December 19, 2008. CPSC staff has taken the position that seasonal public pools and spas that are currently closed must be in compliance with the law on the day that they reopen in 2009.

"Our mission at the CPSC is to keep American families safe," said Nancy Nord, CPSC Acting Chairman. "CPSC will enforce the requirements of this pool and spa safety law with a focus on where the greatest risk of drain entrapment to children exists, such as wading pools, pools designed specifically for toddlers and young children, and in-ground spas, particularly where these types of pools and spas have flat drain grates and single main drain systems."

Nord added, "State health and enforcement agencies share the responsibility to ensure this law is properly enforced. I recommend these agencies take the same approach as CPSC concerning enforcement priorities."

Pool and spa operators are encouraged to continue working as diligently as possible to come into compliance, as the agency and state Attorneys General are empowered to close down any pool or spa that fails to meet the Act's requirements.

For more information about the Pool and Spa Safety Act, how to comply, and which companies have been certified to manufacturer drain covers and safety vacuum release systems, please log on to: www.cpsc.gov/whatsnew.html#pool

To see this release on CPSC's web site, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09065.html

 

Press Releases

March 15, 2010 - Safe Kids Cobb County Joins National Health and Safety Partners to Eliminate “Forgotten Child” Deaths - more.

September 30, 2008 - Safe Kids Cobb County and FedEx Team Up to Educate Children about Pedestrian Safety - more.

September 9, 2008 - Child
Passenger Safety Advocates in
Cobb County Urge Parents and Caregivers to Check Their Child’s Car Seat - more.

April 28, 2008 - Accidental injury
death rate of children 14 and under down by 45 percent since
1987, says Safe Kids USA 20th anniversary report. - more.

April 28, 2008 - Safe Kids Cobb
County brings lifesaving training to local Cub Scouts. - more.



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.