The cooperative agreement will be funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for an initial 18-month period. There are plans to continue the cooperative efforts in safety program development and training. The Project Manager, Wes Bender, pointed out additonal alarming statistics. For each child who dies in a vehicle crash, there are 40 others who are hospitalized and 1,120 who are treated in emergency rooms. Severe and serious non-fatal injuries, primarily brain and spinal cord related and facial disfigurement, have devastating effects on children, families, communities, and society as a whole.
Injury prevention is the best approach to safeguarding the lives of our nation's children.
The new training programs developed will address several areas - injury prevention, reduction of serious injuries, appropriate emergency services response, public awareness and education, and better use of the safety devices already available for young children. Fire and emergency service organizations throughout the United States are dedicated to protecting the lives and property of the members of the communities in which they serve. Beyond responding to immediate crises, fire and emergency services professionals regularly promote fire and life safety education. Many fire and rescue organizations are already involved in current efforts to promote the proper use of child passenger safety seats and bicycle helmets.