Safety, fun rolled into one

It’s a day for fun, but more importantly a day for fire and life safety.

The 21st annual Kids’ Day is from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 10 at the Presidents’ Hall at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Filled with important, life-saving messages, the event is free.

“Preventing kids from injuries is a message the community can promote,” said Theresa MacLennan, event organizer and public educator for Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue.

More than 50 local organizations are going to have booths set up in the Presidents’ Hall including Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, Bremerton Fire Department, American Red Cross, Kitsap County Traffic Safety Taskforce, Bloodhounds Search Dogs and more.

“Kids’ Day is an opportunity for local organizations and businesses to team up and teach kids how to stay safe and make healthy choices,” MacLennan said.

Many of the booths will be passing out safety messages as well as goodies for kids to collect. Each child will be presented with a “passport” to fill with the safety messages they receive.

Some of those messages include:

• Know two ways out of every room.

• Never play with lighters.

• Check your smoke detectors once a month.

• Wear a helmet when you ride.

• Firefighters are your friends.

“Kids’ Day is a fun event with the serious goal of helping kids and families learn more about injury prevention,” MacLennan said. “Every time a child is harmed by an unintentional injury the child, family, friends and the community suffers.”

Outside the Presidents’ Hall, an array of fire engines, ambulances, police cars and tow trucks will be set up, allowing families to get an up-close view.

“There will be 11 ‘touch-a-truck’ organizations set up,” MacLennan said.

Local firefighters will perform live fire demonstrations as well as vehicle extrications at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Juggler Bob Bailey III will provide entertainment in between the fire demonstrations.

Kids also can receive a helmet fitting for a suggested donation of $7 for the helmet.

In an effort to spread the word of the new car seat law that becomes effective June 2007, car seat technicians will be on-site to provide information.

“Beginning in June 2007, children must be in a booster seat until they’re 8 years old or four-foot, nine-(inches),” MacLennan said. “It will no longer be based on their weight. We’re trying to get the message out early.”

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