Bike Walk Virginia News

2nd Annual Bicyclist and Pedestrian Awareness Week September 12-18, 2010
Virginia's Second Annual Bicyclist and Pedestrian Awareness Week is taking place September 12-18, brought to you by BikeWalk Virginia and Drive Smart Virginia. Last year, 84 people died while walking or cycling in Virginia and an additional 607 cyclists and 1,402 pedestrians were injured. We can make a difference, save lives, make our roads safer. Help us by becoming a partner in spreading awareness of safe road sharing practices. Partnering is easy, we even have free materials for you to use!You can request posters, brochures, tent cards and an electronic toolkit. All are available through the Drive Smart Virginia website.

Boost 'em in the Back Seat website

Are you in need of free, empirically supported, and easily accessible booster seat education materials? As a fellow child health professional, I wanted to let you know about our new nonprofit Boost 'em in the Back Seat website at http://www.boosterseats4safety.org. You may already be familiar with the 6-minute Boost 'em in the Back Seat video, which is available for free and easy download (or streaming, if you prefer) on the site. The video includes high-threat content that evokes a sense of vulnerability to motor vehicle hazards, as well as high-efficacy content that provides caregivers with the confidence and knowledge to protect one's family from motor vehicle risks. Evaluation research has shown the video-intervention to significantly increase child passenger safety knowledge, risk-reduction attitudes, perceptions of fear and efficacy, and observed booster seat use. Also on the website are free 30-second PSAs, downloadable resources, and parent education pages, all of which are available for use in your work to keep children safe.
Kelli England Will, Ph.D. and the rest of our team at EVMS

GANG AWARENESS

The Newport News Police Gang Intelligence Unit will present a Gang Awareness briefing to the Bon Secours Hampton Roads Staff. The Hampton Roads community is also invited to attend this most informative briefing.
When: July 30, 2010 11:00 AM
Mary Immaculate Hospital Health Resource Center
2 Bernardine Drive, Newport News, Virginia 23602

Contact Karen Fussman at 886-6448 for more information

Safe Kids USA

Did you know that summer is trauma season? More kids are injured and killed due to unintentional injuries this time of year. We believe that all kids have a right to grow up safe, healthy and injury free. Preventing Injuries: at home, at play, and on the way. This website offers free information for parents, educators, media, and safety professionals. http://www.safekids.org/

Holiday Tips

As the month of December begins, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers tips to ensure that children have a safe holiday season. Topics include guidelines for safe use of lights, decorations and trees, including how to check the freshness of a live Christmas tree. Toy safety tips address the importance of age-appropriate gifts and the need to avoid items with small parts for children under age three. For example, swallowing button batteries and magnets can cause serious stomach and intestinal problems, including death. Access the AAP 2009 Holiday Safety Tips at http://aap.org/advocacy/releases/novtips.cfm.

Virginia Poison Center’s 2008 Annual Report

As a FYI, the Virginia Poison Center’s 2008 Annual Report is now available. According to the report, in 2008, they responded to 38,267 calls for assistance; an increase of 1.8% over 2007. Three quarters of all patients were managed on site without need for further medical intervention. The majority of patients treated were children under 6 years of age. Incoming calls to the Virginia Poison Center increase each year. Despite this, and with no increase in funding, the Center continues to provide its life saving services twenty four hours daily to all callers free of charge. The complete 2008 Annual Report will be available for viewing or download from their Website at www.vapoison.org in a few days. Hard copies are available. Contact Evelyn Waring by phone at 804.628.3468 or email ewaring@mcvh-vcu.edu to request a copy.

ALERT! Torch Fuels Are Dangerous Poisons

Last month, a toddler drank citronella torch oil while out camping with his family. A few hours later, he died at a local hospital. Last year, an 84-year-old woman died after a family member poured torch fuel into a glass. She drank it, thinking it was apple juice. An 8-year-old girl has permanent lung damage after making the same mistake.
Whatever you call it - torch fuel, tiki oil, bug lamps - fuel oil can be fatal if swallowed. Some people who drank it but didn't die were sick for prolonged periods of time. These products often look like apple juice, which is why it is easy to make a mistake. The liquid is the same color, the bottles are of similar heights, and the caps look alike. And, when poured out of their bottles, it's impossible to tell the difference. If swallowed, torch fuel can easily slide down into the lungs instead of going into the stomach. This causes pneumonia and also prevents the lungs from absorbing oxygen. Even small amounts in the lungs can be life-threatening or fatal. If you suspect that someone has swallowed, handled, or breathed in a poison, call the Poison Center right away. The 24-hour number is 1-800-222-1222. The experts that answer your call will tell you exactly what to do.

Cribs for Kids/Safe Kids USA Partnership

Safe Kids USA is pleased to announce the beginning of a new partnership with Cribs for Kids® to collaborate in preventing unintentional childhood injury due to unsafe sleeping environments. Cribs for Kids® will offer their discounted sales rate for its cribs (Graco Pack n Plays) and Graco's child safety seats to all Safe Kids coalitions. Each participating coalition will receive a Safe Kids/Cribs for Kids® toolkit to implement a safe sleep program in their community. This kit will also include infant safety educational materials. More details about this exciting partnership will follow!

Playground Safety Inspector Certification Course

A Playground Safety Inspector Certification Course is being offered in Roanoke, VA September 9-11, 2009. This is the only national program devoted to playground safety inspector certifications. Please see information below and the attached registration form. Please direct any questions to the Virginia Recreation and Park Society by contacting them at 804-730-9447 or visiting www.vrps.com.

Child passenger safety course

Safe Kids Virginia will partner with Ft. Eustis to sponsor a cps technician refresher course on June 18, 2009. To participate, you must be a cps technician with a current certification. Space for the course is limited and registration is required. To register please email or call me at (804) 628-2077 or cmillerhobbs@mcvh-vcu.edu . This course has been approved by Safe Kids Worldwide and the cps certification department. We are grateful to have Sgt. Lee Bailey of the New Kent Sheriffs Office as our certified instructor for the course. Each participant will receive 6 CE's, which are required for their recertification process. The class will be held in the Fire Department on Ft. Eustis, located at 648 Washington Blvd, Newport News. Class will begin at 8am and end at 4:15pm. Lunch will be on your own and unfortunately we are unable to provide refreshments during the course, though vending machines are available. For those technicians who need to be checked off on their child safety seat installations, Sgt. Bailey will remain after class to do this with you.
Corri Miller-Hobbs, Coordinator

Poison Prevention Week

National Poison Prevention Week 2009 is March 15-21
Each year, more than 100 children ages 14 and under die as a result of unintentional poisoning. Non-pharmaceutical products such as cosmetics, cleaning substances, plants, foreign bodies, toys, pesticides, art supplies, and alcohol are responsible for 56 percent of poisoning exposures for children under 5 years of age. Parents need to store these products up and away from children, preferably in a locked cabinet.
Learn more about how to keep your child safe from poisoning by visiting Safe Kids Poison

Upcoming Lecture/ Class

The Family Forum sponsored by CHKD and Kohl's Cares for Kids on inhalant use is Monday March 16, 7-9 p.m. at CHKD Health and Surgery Center at Oyster Point, 11783 Rock Landing Drive, Newport News. Registration for this class and the others is at 668-7500 or 1-800-395-2453 or on line at www.chkd.org/classes.

Another class is "Food, Weight and Body Image -- Helping Children and Teens Feel Confident and Healthy" with Dr. Linda Mintle. Professional Workshop is May 13, 9:30-11:30 at CHKD Health and Surgery Center at Oyster Point (address above). The parent workshop is Wednesday May 13, 7-9 p.m. ad CHKD 6th Floor classroom, 601 Children's Lane, Norfolk.

Inhalant Abuse Prevention Conference

Virginia Inhalant Abuse Prevention Coalition invites you to their 2nd Annual conference.
Date: March 16, 2009
Time: 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
Where: Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel & Suites, 105 Visitor Center Dr., Williamsburg, VA 23185
Registration: $65.00 by March 10th
For more information and to register online: http://www.htsac.org/

Toddler Safety Class

Injury Prevention community health nursing students (ODU) and Healthy families partnership is offering a Toddler safety class. Each year many children are injured in their homes. This class will teach a practical, positive approach to home safety for parents of children ages 0-4. A fun, interactive safety curriculum will be offered that will cover Choking Prevention & family CPR; furniture tip over, poison prevention, fire safety and burn prevention. To register 727-1300 x0

Date: Thursday, February 26th
Time: 5:30 (dinner) 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Location: Healthy Families Partnership, 100 Old Hampton Lane
Fee: $50 non-Hampton resident

Car Seat Safety Round-Up

Wanted: Old, Used, Borrowed, and Abused Child Safety Seats.

Safety seats that are old, used, borrowed or abused may harm your child in a crash. During the month of February 2009, drop off that old seat at any location below for a $5.oo Reward.
Wal-Mart Supercenters, DMV Customer Service Centers in Hampton Roads, AAA Offices in Hampton Roads

For more information: http://www.drivesafehr.org/posters/2009_ChildSafetySeatRoundUp.pdf

Keep Kids Safe At Your Playground...

Register To Become A Certified Playground Safety Inspector. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is estimated that each year over 205,850 injuries occur on playgrounds and approximately fifteen children will die from playground related injuries. This course is designed to educate individuals about those hazards, and train them to identify and reduce the risks associated with them.Sponsored by the National Recreation and Park Association, the Virginia Recreation and Park Society is hosting a National Playground Safety course known as the NPSI, that is the most comprehensive training program on playground hazard identification and risk management methods offered anywhere. Advanced reading and fifteen hours of training from nationally known playground safety experts will prepare participants to sit for the Certified Playground Safety Inspector examination offered at the culmination of the certification course. It is also approved for 1.2 ceu's.
Click here for registration information

Instability and Tipover of Appliances, Furniture, and Televisions: Estimated Injuries and Reported Fatalities, 2008 Report

The complete CPSC data report can be viewed at http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foia08/os/tipover.pdf.

Infants Strangled to Death in Simplicity Bassinets

CPSC Urges Consumers To Stop Using Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 Convertible “Close-Sleeper” Models. WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents and caregivers to stop using convertible “close-sleeper/bedside sleeper” bassinets manufactured by Simplicity Inc., of Reading, Pa. CPSC has learned that on August 21, 2008, a 5-month-old girl from Shawnee, Kan. was strangled to death when she became entrapped between the bassinet’s metal bars. This is the second strangulation death CPSC has learned of in the co-sleeper bassinets. On September 29, 2007, a 4-month-old girl from Noel, Mo. became entrapped in the metal bars of the bassinet and died.
For the complete press release, follow this link: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08378.html

Drive Safe coalition - volunteers needed

Drive Safe coalition is in need of help manning a regional safety seat check they are having on Sat. Sept. 20 from 10:00-1:00. It’s part of a national campaign to kick off CPS week (Sept 21 week). Checks will be happening across the nation on that day—it’s called Safety Seat Saturday. Our regional check is co-sponsored by Drive Safe, AAA, Safe Kids, and VDH. It will be held at the Tidewater AAA headquarters—on Va. Beach Blvd. near Haynes (between Witchduck and Newtown—sort of on the line between VB and Norfolk). Safety seat training helps but not required (you could still assist but couldn’t put in seats yourself). Senior checkers will be on hand—they just need more bodies. Please contact Pat for more details..
Pat.Davidson@vdh.virginia.gov

Free Water Watcher Toolkit

Virginia drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death among children under the age of 14. Injury and death from drowning can be avoided provided children have active parental supervision, are taught basic water safety skills, swim in safe environments, use appropriate safety gear and when parents demonstrate water safety behavior.
The DIVP is seeking your assistance in helping to prevent drownings by becoming the designated Water Watcher for children in and around water. A Water Watcher is the adult on duty who is responsible for actively supervising children in and around water. A Water Watcher wears an “official” tag and whistle when supervising children at the pool, beach, lake, river, or in open water. The Water Watcher kit contains:A Water Watcher tag, Whistle and Lanyard
• Information card that explains the Water Watcher program, responsibilities of a Water Watcher, and life saving information
• Drowning Prevention Tip Card
• 9.25” by 12” bag that holds the materials and has space for your agency’s information
Individuals can order up to 5 kits. Organizations can order up to 50 kits. To order your free Water Watcher Kit (s), click on the link below to complete an online order form. Kits will be mailed within two weeks and until supplies last.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=TSlhnUEzW1B8iyKVxXPKPQ_3d_3d.