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Children
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Children's
Programs |
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Emergency Calls to 9-1-1
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Bicycle Safety Education
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Home Alone?
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"Stranger Danger"
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Emergency
Calls to 9-1-1 |
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In Arlington, 9-1-1 is the
all-purpose emergency number. It is not the
number to dial just for practice, to "see if it works," for
information, or as a joke or game.
Ask an
adult to teach you how to use all types of telephones to dial
9-1-1: rotary, push button, cell and pay phones.
Reasons for calling 9-1-1 can include:
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Someone is sick or hurt
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Someone is seen hurting someone else
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You
smell smoke or see a fire
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You
see an accident
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You
see a crime happening
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You
see suspicious activity
When
calling 9-1-1, remember to:
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Stay
calm
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Speak loudly and clearly
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Give
your full name, address, and phone number
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Explain where you are and where the problem is
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Follow all of the operator’s instruction carefully
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Don’t hang up until the operator tells you to!
Calling
9-1-1 on Cellular Phones: If you're in a
moving vehicle, first pull over and stop! Then, the operator
answering your call needs to know:
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Where you are:
location, address, city, and landmarks
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Who you are: your
full name and the cell phone's number
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What are the
details of the emergency? Give a description of the the
vehicle you're in, or of the people involved in the emergency.
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NOTE: This information is provided by
the Arlington Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit for
families who are forced into a "latch key" situation. It is not an endorsement
for leaving children home alone.
The number of "Latch Key Children" left at home alone to care for themselves
-- and
sometimes for younger siblings -- without adult supervision are on the rise.
Children caring for themselves and other children without adult
supervision are more likely to be involved in accidents, engage in delinquent
behavior, or be victimized. Parents who must leave their children
at home alone are rightly concerned with how well their children
can handle routine and emergency situations. Some children enjoy
caring for themselves and happily accept the added responsibility.
Other children become lonely, bored, and scared.
To improve their self-care skills, parents can create routines
that will help children avoid feeling lost or abandoned.
Teach them how to use the phone and answer the door. Talk about personal
safety at home and at school. Setting safety rules and limits
appropriate to the child's abilities can help build their
confidence.
Daily Routine. Helping your child to establish a daily routine allows them to
plan activities that will keep them productively occupied and
entertained. Morning schedules may include such things as waking
up, time for breakfast, time to get dressed, time to complete
chores, and time to leave for school. An after-school schedule may
include checking in with a parent or another adult, time to eat a
snack, time for homework, recreation, time for chores, and time an
adult will return home.
Telephone Safety.
For a child at home alone, a telephone is their link to the
outside world. While the telephone
can be used to report emergencies, it can also be used improperly
by people who may call to
see if the house is empty or if a child is home alone.
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Teach children how to use all types of telephones
(rotary dial, push button, cell, and pay phones).
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Have your children memorize their home phone number
(including the area code), a parent’s work number, and the phone
number of a friend.
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Be sure your children
know how to dial the correct emergency
number and that they remember the six steps used to report an
emergency.
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Post a list of
emergency phone numbers next to every phone in the house.
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Teach
your children to not tell callers they're home alone! Discuss
how they can use "safe
statements" when they’re home alone and they answer the
phone:
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My mom is busy right now. Can she call you back?
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My dad can’t come to the phone right now. Can you call him
back?
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My mom is talking to a neighbor. Can you call her back?
Answering the Door Safely. It is always advisable for
your children to not allow
anyone (another child or adult) inside the house when
they're home alone. Make sure your child can see who's outside the
door. Again, teach your children to not tell visitors they're home
alone! Some basic safety tips include:
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Always keep the door locked.
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When someone knocks on the door, see who it is without
opening the door. If you do not see anyone, do not answer
the door.
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Look through the viewer or window to see if the person
is a stranger or someone you know -- never open the door for
someone you don’t know.
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Ask, "Who is it?" without opening the door.
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Never tell anyone you’re alone. Use a safe statement
such as:
- "My mother is busy right now."
- "My father can’t come to the door right now."
Never hide a house key outside the house
-- someone else
may find it.
Never wear your house key outside your clothing for
others to see.
Talk about what to do if your house key is lost.
Other Things You Can Do to Feel Safe at Home.
Safety starts with you. These are some of the steps you can take
to protect yourself when you're home alone. These ideas work for
adults as well as children!
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Check the outside of your home for signs of anything
unusual before going inside. If something doesn't look right, don’t go in. Go to a neighbor’s
house and call 911.
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Be sure all doors and windows are locked.
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When going outside, always take your keys
and ensure that doors and windows are locked before
you leave.
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Turn on your
home's outside lights (porch lights) when it
starts to get dark.
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If you go out after dark, leave a light on inside your
home.
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Keep your bike and toys inside your home when you’re
not using them.
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Keep garage doors closed.
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Bicycle Safety |
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 Many
bicyclists are young and unfamiliar with laws and
rules for bicycling. Inexperience and lack of knowledge lead to
hundreds of deaths and thousands of bicycle related injuries each
year. This bicycle safety overview is designed to teach children
how to make safe and law-abiding choices as a bicycle operator.
Facts:
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Most bicycle crashes do not involve motor
vehicles.
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90%
of bicycle operators’ injuries are due to falls from their
bikes as a result of unexpected crashes.
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Traumatic brain injury can result from
falling off a bike. Falls can result from: loss of balance or control, sudden stops, loss of
traction on a slippery surface, or other unexpected
occurrences.
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Wearing a bicycle helmet can reduce the
risk of head injuries by 95%.
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To make safe choices a bicyclist must
understand bicycle safety LAWS, and obey all traffic
SIGNS and SIGNALS.
Remember: When operating a bicycle in traffic, you become a driver
who must obey all traffic signs and signals!
 Warn
other traffic when stopping or turning by signaling with your left
hand and arm.
Ride as near to the right side of
the road as possible and travel in the same direction as vehicles.
Be careful when passing parked
vehicles or vehicles
traveling in the same direction.
Don't operate more than two bicycles
side-by-side.
Don't ride double on bicycles not
built to carry two people, and ride only on the bicycle's regular
seat!
Don't "hitch" onto any other
vehicle.
Don't carry packages that prevent
you from keeping at least one hand on the bike's
handlebars.
Always be alert for traffic from all
directions.
Before leaving a driveway, alley, or
when crossing a street or road, STOP and look both ways. Wait for
motor vehicles and pedestrians to pass.
Let pedestrians go first at street
crossings and on sidewalks.
Get out of the street or roadway
when you hear an emergency vehicle's siren.
Don't race with others on a public
street or roadway.
Don't play riding games in the
street or roadway.
Always keep your bicycle in good
condition. You bike needs to have brakes that will skid the brake
wheel on dry, level pavement.
To operate after dark, your bicycle
must have a white light mounted on the front which can be seen at
least 500 feet away, and a red light mounted on the rear that can
be seen at least 500 feet away with a red reflector that can be
seen at least 300 feet away.
Wearing your bike helmet can save
your life. (Read more, below.)
The City of Arlington Bicycle
Helmet Ordinance
Effective January 1,
1998, all children under eighteen must wear an approved bicycle
helmet when operating a bicycle or riding as a passenger on a
bicycle in the City of Arlington. Look for helmets with seals of
approval from the the American National Safety Institute (ANSI),
the American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM), and the
Snell Memorial Foundation (Snell).
Child: means any
person less than eighteen (18) years of age. (Age 17 and younger.)
Adult: means any
individual eighteen (18) years of age are older.
Helmet: properly
fitted headgear that is not structurally damaged and that conforms
to the American National Safety Institute (ANSI), the American
Society for Testing and Material (ASTM), and the Snell Memorial
Foundation (Snell) or any federal agency regulating bicycle
helmets.
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Children
need to be especially careful when they're
approached by a stranger. They must be familiar with the common tricks and
lures that a stranger can use to win their trust and friendship.
Parents need to teach and remind their children of the basic rules
for protecting themselves against strangers who mean them harm.
Most people in the world are strangers to us and
most are kind, law-abiding people. A stranger can be a man or
woman, and they can be nice or mean, good or bad. You cannot
tell good people from bad people by what they look like, only by
how they act.
What is a stranger?
A stranger is someone that you don’t know, even if they know you.
What is an acquaintance?
Someone you know, but not very well.
Things that a dangerous stranger may say or do to a child:
Bribe : "I’ll give you a present (candy, money,
toys, etc.)"
Assistance : "My dog is lost, will you help me find it?"
Attention / Affection:
"I won't like you anymore if you don't ...," or "You are my
favorite ...".
Threat /
Fear : "I’ll hurt your mommy and
daddy if you tell;" "No one will believe you;" or "I'll
go to jail if you tell!"
Psychological Intimidation: "I’m doing this because I love you;" "It’s okay to do this, everyone does it;" "This is our secret! No one will ever know;"
or "I won’t tell if you won’t tell."
Emergencies : "Your mom is sick, and she asked me to take
you home."
Lure of Opportunity
(Sexual Pedophile): Offenders promise the child modeling,
acting, or singing careers that end instead in child pornography
or molestation.
Authority:
A teacher may use his or her authority to
abuse the child.
A relative my use his or her position to
trick the child into sex games.
A stranger can say he or she is a police
officer, fireman, preacher, doctor, or lawyer.
Fun and Games:
Playing "doctor," hide-and seek, tickling, or playing "mom and
dad."
There
are many other ways a stranger, an acquaintance, or even a trusted
adult can entice a child. Parents need to go over safety tips and play
"what if" games with their children.
Here
are three things a child can do when approached by a stranger:
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Say "No!" loudly and repeatedly;
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Get
physically away from the stranger; and then
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Tell an adult.
School Safety
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Always take the same route to and from
school.
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Know where the nearest safe place is
located while walking to and from school. (A trusted
neighborhood parent/family, a fire station, police
station, church, community center).
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Notice where pay phones are located
while walking to and from school in case you have to make
a call in an emergency.
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If you ride a bike to school, keep it
locked with a sturdy lock in the school bicycle rack.
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Write your name on your personal
possessions so that you can identify them if they are
stolen.
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Keep your money in your backpack until
it is needed.
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Don’t keep anything expensive or of
sentimental value inside your desk.
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Keep away from strangers especially if
you’re in an area alone, around public restrooms,
playgrounds, and shopping mall, outside a building or even
while on a field trip. Report suspicious people, vehicles,
or activity to a teacher, parent, principal or trusted
adult.
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Never accept a ride from anyone, unless
your parents have personally told you it was OK to ride
with that person at that particular time.
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Go straight home from school, unless
your parents specifically gave you permission to go
elsewhere.
Safety while Walking
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When possible, avoid walking alone.
Walk with someone, or walk in areas where other people are
near.
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Stay in open areas, away from alleys,
bushes and entryways.
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Avoid shortcuts through walking trails,
parks, vacant lots, and other deserted places.
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Don’t hitchhike or accept rides form
strangers.
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If someone follows you while walking,
don’t go near him or her. Change directions or cross the
streets. If they continue to follow you, run to the
nearest business or residence and ask them for help.
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If a driver stops to ask you
directions, avoid getting near the car.
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If occupants of a car are harassing
you, turn and walk the other way.
Other Safety
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Keep money safely concealed.
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Always try to walk and play with
friends instead of walking and playing by yourself.
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Let the adult responsible for you know
where you are at all times.
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If someone tries to grab you, run away
and scream—make lots of noise.
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If you’re in a shopping mall, grocery
store, or other public place and you get separated from
your parents, go to the nearest store or employee and tell
them you’ve lost your mom or dad and you need help finding
them.
And for
Parents ...
Children think in literal terms. Be specific
about what you tell them. Set rules, limits, and policies that
best suits your family. Be clear and consistent. Build confidence
rather than scare tactics when teaching your children. Know the
families of the children your children interacts with.
Organize a secret code known only by you and your children if
there is a troubled situation.
Building a personal relationship with your children will aid their personal safety. It will also open
honest and caring communication between adults and children about
acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in people.
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September 2003 |
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