The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, pronounced "NITS-uh") is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes."
As part of its activities, NHTSA is charged with writing and enforcing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards as well as regulations for motor vehicle theft resistance and fuel economy, as part of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) system. NHTSA also licenses vehicle manufacturers and importers, allows or blocks the import of vehicles and safety-regulated vehicle parts, administers the vehicle identification number (VIN) system, develops the anthropomorphic dummies used in safety testing, as well as the test protocols themselves, and provides vehicle insurance cost information. The agency has asserted preemptive regulatory authority over greenhouse gas emissions, but this has been disputed by such state regulatory agencies as the California Air Resources Board.
Another of NHTSA's major activities is the creation and maintenance
of the data files maintained by the National Center for Statistics and
Analysis. In particular, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), has become a resource for traffic safety
research not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
Research contributions using FARS by researchers from many countries
appear in many non-U.S. technical publications,
and provide a significant database and knowledge bank on the subject.
Even with this database, conclusive analysis of crash causes often
remains difficult and controversial, with experts debating the veracity
and statistical validity of results.
The following resources were produced for the 1991 awareness campaign for seat buckle safety by the United States NHTSA. Teachers may download and print the materials to use for lesson planning in their classrooms only.
Vince and Larry say: "Buckle up, someone cares." coloring page.
Children present significant challenges in engineering and producing
safe vehicles, because most children are significantly smaller and
lighter than most adults. Additionally, children far from being just
scaled down adults, still have an undeveloped skeletal system. This
means that vehicle restraint systems such as airbags and seat belts, far
from being effective, are hazardous if used to restrain young children.
In recognition of this, many medical professionals and jurisdictions
recommend or require that children under a particular age, height,
and/or weight ride in a child seat and/or in the back seat, as applicable.
Within Europe ECE Regulation R44 dictates that children below 150 cm
must travel in a child restraint that is appropriate for their weight.
Each country have their own adaptions of this Regulation. For instance,
in the United Kingdom, children must travel in a child restraint until
they are 135 cm tall or reach 12 years of age, which ever comes soonest.
As another example in Austria the driver of passenger vehicles is
responsible for people shorter than 150 cm and below 14 years to be
seated in an adequate child safety seat. Moreover, it is not allowed for
children below the age of 3 to ride in a passenger vehicle without
"security system" (which in practice means the vehicle is not equipped
with any seat belts or technical systems like Isofix), whereas children between 3 and 14 years have to ride in the back seat.
Sweden
specify that a child or an adult shorter than 140 cm is legally
forbidden to ride in a place with an active airbag in front of it.
The majority of medical professionals and biomechanical engineers
agree that children below the age of two year old are much safer if they
travel in a rearward facing child restraint.
Child safety locks and driver-controlled power window lockout controls prevent children from opening doors and windows from inside the vehicle.
Music at YouTube To Teach Little Ones, "Buckle Up!":
Danger Rangers is a television program that aired on PBS Kids. From September 2011 to September 2012, the show was re-aired on CBS as part of Cookie Jar TV.
Danger Rangers was originally created with its first pilot in 1999;
however, the first Hollywood production was completed in 2003. The show
was born from the cause of children's safety and was the first show to
successfully put Disney quality productions into a quality curriculum.
The Danger Rangers series was the most successfully distributed
independent show on PBS Affiliates and was documented to have saved
lives.
Seven animal heroes called the "Danger Rangers," their robot Fallbot, and their artificial intelligence called SAVO teach children about safety through examples, such as environmental hazards and unsafe places.
D.A.R.E. Primary is a life skills and drug education
program for 9-11-year-olds. The course, consisting of 10 one-hour
sessions, aims to provide children with knowledge, skills, and an
opportunity to explore attitudes, to help them to make informed
decisions, and to develop safe and healthy lifestyles. Topics covered
include, tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, volatile substances, bullying, anti-social behavior,
and different types of pressure. Children look at normative beliefs
about alcohol and tobacco. The sessions are interactive and provide a
range of learning opportunities through individual activities, teamwork, discussions, storyboards, and appropriate role play. DARE Primary can be delivered by:
DARE Officer (Serving or former Police Officer, Police Community
Support Officer, or School Officer--- a school liaison officer)
Teacher and DARE Officer where the Officer attends every other week (called 50/50). It also becomes part of the Health Unit in most schools.
Teacher delivered (Teachers receive training from DARE)
Each pupil is provided with a DARE workbook for use during the
course. DARE Officers and Teachers (where the Teacher delivered option
is chosen) are provided with session guides. An important part of the
program is the graduation ceremony which is an opportunity for families
and schools to celebrate the children's achievements.
Below are fireman's badges that teachers and parents may print, cut and laminate in order to give away to young children for play time after they have been visited by the local fire department. You can adhere special safety pins to the back side of the badges. I found a large pack at Amazon for little ones here. You could probably find them in your local craft store as well if you prefer.
Individual graphics are included for parents who only need one or two. Four graphics are included on one sheet of badges for easier printing in the classroom. Enjoy!
Fire Departments feel free to pass out these crafted fireman's badges too, if you would like. They are free from kathy grimm!
A fireman's badge including an "engine house" number.
A fireman's badge including an eagle.
A fireman's badge with a blank ribbon for teachers who wish to include a name.
A fireman's badge including the symbolic tools of the trade.
All four fireman's badges on one png. for those who need to print multiple quantities.
Firefighting is the act of extinguishing fires. A firefighter suppresses and extinguishes fires to protect lives and to prevent the destruction of property and of the environment. Firefighters may provide other valuable services to their communities, including emergency medical services.
Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training, in both general firefighting techniques and developing specialist expertise in particular fire and rescue operations, such as aircraft/airport rescue, wilderness fire suppression, and search and rescue.
One of the major hazards associated with firefighting operations
could possibly be the toxic environment created by combustible
materials, the four major risks are smoke, oxygen deficiency, elevated
temperatures, and poisonous atmospheres. Additional hazards include falls and structural collapse that can exacerbate the problems entailed in a toxic environment. To combat some of these risks, firefighters carry self-contained breathing equipment.
The first step in a firefighting operation is reconnaissance to
search for the origin of the fire, to identify the specific risks, and
to locate possible casualties.
Fires can be extinguished by water, fuel removal, or chemical flame inhibition. Read more...
Take the message of fire safety seriously. by Maranda
The Fireman's Wedding Poem by W. A. Eaton
What are we looking at, guv'nor?
Well, you see those carriages there?
It's a wedding... that's what it is, sir;
And aren't they a beautiful pair?
They don't want no marrow-bone music,
There's the fireman's band come to play;
It's a fireman that's going to get married,
And you don't see such sights every day!
They're in the church now, and we're waiting
To give them a cheer as they come;
And the grumbler that wouldn't join in it
Deserves all his life to go dumb.
They won't be out for a minute,
So if you've got time and will stay,
I'll tell you right from the beginning
About this 'ere wedding to-day.
One night I was fast getting drowsy,
And thinking of going to bed,
When I heard such a clattering and shouting-
'That sounds like an engine!' I said.
So I jumped up and opened the window:
'It's a fire sure enough, wife,' says I;
For the people were running and shouting,
And the red glare quite lit up the sky.
I kicked off my old carpet slippers
And on with my boots in a jiff;
I hung up my pipe in the corner
Without waiting to have the last whiff.
The wife, she just grumbled a good 'un,
But I didn't take notice of that,
For I on with my coat in a minute,
And sprang down the stairs like a cat!
I followed the crowd, and it brought me
In front of the house in a blaze;
At first I could see nothing clearly,
For the smoke made it all of a haze.
The firemen were shouting their loudest,
And unwinding great lengths of hose;
The 'peelers' were pushing the people,
And treading on everyone's toes.
I got pushed with some more in a corner,
Where I couldn't move, try as I might;
But little I cared for the squeezing
So long as I had a good sight.
Ah, sir, it was grand! but 'twas awful!
The flames leaped up higher and higher:
The wind seemed to get underneath them,
Till they roared like a great blacksmith's fire!
"I was just looking round at the people,
With their faces lit up by the glare,
When I heard some one cry, hoarse with terror,
'Oh, look! there's a woman up there!'
I shall never forget the excitement,
My heart beat as loud as a clock;
I looked at the crowd, they were standing
As if turned to stone by the shock.
And there was the face at the window,
With its blank look of haggard despair-
Her hands were clasped tight on her bosom,
And her white lips were moving in prayer.
The staircase was burnt to a cinder,
There wasn't a fire escape near;
But a ladder was brought from the builder's,
And the crowd gave a half-fightened cheer.
The ladder was put to the window,
While the flames were still raging below:
I looked, with my heart in my mouth, then,
To see who would offer to go!
When up sprang a sturdy young fireman,
As a sailor would climb up a mast;
We saw him go in at the window,
And we cheered as though danger were past.
"We saw nothing more for a moment,
But the sparks flying round us like rain;
And then as we breathlessly waited,
He came to the window again.
And on his broad shoulder was lying,
The face of that poor fainting thing,
And we gave him a cheer as we never
Yet gave to a prince or a king.
He got to the top of the ladder...
I can see him there now, noble lad!
And the flames underneath seemed to know it,
For they leaped at that ladder like mad.
"But just as he got to the middle,
I could see it begin to give way,
For the flames had got hold of it now, sir!
I could see the thing tremble and sway.
He came but a step or two lower,
Then sprang with a cry to the ground;
And then, you would hardly believe it,
He stood with the girl safe and sound.
"I took off my old hat and waved it:
I couldn't join in with the cheer,
For the smoke had got into my eyes, sir,
And I felt such a choking... just here.
And now, sir, they're going to get married,
I bet you, she'll make a good wife;
And who has the most right to have her?
Why, the fellow that saved her young life!
A beauty! ah, sir, I believe you!
Stand back, lads! stand back! here they are!
We'll give them the cheer that we promised,
Now, lads, with a hip, hip, hurrah!
Stop, drop and roll is a simple fire safety technique taught to children, emergency services personnel and industrial workers
as a component of health and safety training. It involves three steps a
fire victim should follow to minimize injury in the event their
clothing catches fire.
Stop, drop and roll consists of three components:
Stop – The fire victim must stop, ceasing any movement which may fan the flames or hamper those attempting to put the fire out.
Drop – The fire victim must drop to the ground, lying down if
possible, covering their face with their hands to avoid facial injury.
Roll – The fire victim must roll on the ground in an effort to
extinguish the fire by depriving it of oxygen. If the victim is on a rug
or one is nearby, they can roll the rug around themselves to further
extinguish the flame.
The effectiveness of stop, drop and roll may be further enhanced by
combining it with other firefighting techniques, including the use of a
fire extinguisher, dousing with water, or fire beating one's skin.
City of Ocoee's Fire Department's Puppet Show
I snapped these photos of our kids during fire safety week. I have many more than the few that I have posted here for those parents who would like to request copies, contact me or Jenn at the early learning center. The firemen did a marvelous job of sharing and caring for our students during their visit!
