Important Information for Parents about the Ember 911™ Child Safety Education Program
The videos found on the Ember 911™ Child Safety Education Program Website are meant to supplement and reinforce the concepts of how chldren should react to stay safe in emergency situations. They are NOT meant to be the sole educational tool used to teach children about safety. It is critical to have a community team working together to educate our youngsters about appropriate responses to emergency situations and you, the parent, are your child"s greatest teacher. The following are suggestions on how you may utilize these video presentations to facilitate learning safety measures with your child:
- Only show one safety video per day
- Show your child the video when he or she is in a calm, relaxed, yet alert state.
- Reduce any environmental distractions during the time that the movie is playing
- Discuss the video with your child upon completion using simple, yet clear language
- Make the video personal. Discuss your own safety plans (i.e. fire escape routes, "safe" places to go, etc.)
- Make these plans visual by taking pictures and setting up an "emergency plan" picture schedule. Post this picture schedule in a central location where your child knows where to look for a reminder
- Practice these plans of actions regularly by role playing various emergency situations
- Play these videos for your child frequently. It is recommended that you show your child these videos weekly or bimonthly until the concept is mastered. This is especially important for a child with special needs. After the safety concepts appear to be mastered, continue showing the videos, but less often (i.e. twice per year) as a reminder
Teaching Safety Lessons in the Classroom
Important Facts for Parents
Unintentional Injury
Most people are unaware that unintentional injury is the #1 health threat to children under the age of 14. Unintentional Injurei injuries have shown to injure and kill more children than drugs and disease combined.
- Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14)
- Nearly 6700 children every year due to unintential injury
- More than 120,000 children per year are permanently disabled due to unintentional injuries
- 1 in 4 children will be injured seriously enough to require medical attention
- For every child who dies from a preventable injury, 45 others are hospitalized, 1300 are treated in emergency rooms, and nearly 1600 visit a doctor's office
Fire and Burn Injuries
- Each year fire kills nearly 1000 children in the United States
- Almost 80,000 children are injured by residential fire, scalds, and chemical burns
Firearms Injuries
- Nearly 220 children ages 14 and under die from unintentional firearm injuries each year
- An estimated 3600 children are hospitalized from unintentional gunshot wounds and an additional 15,000 receive medical treatment
Poisoning Injuries
- Nearly 100 children die from poisoning and more than 1 million are injured by poisonous substances
Motor Vehicle Injuries
- Almost 2000 children ages 14 and under die from motor vehicle related crashes
- More than 325,000 children are injured in motor vehicle accidents each year
Choking, Suffocation and Strangulation Injuries
- In 1993, 360 children ages 14 and under died as a result of mechanical suffocation at home
Falls
- Unintentional falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries resulting in emergency room visits for all ages
Bike and Pedestrian Injuries
- Bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product, except the automobile
Water Injuries
- Drowning is the second leading cause of death from unintentional injuries for people ages 5-24
