Mascots and Costume for your Public Education Program

Educating the public on programs such as poison control and 9-1-1 services is a very important necessity to the community. Why not make it more fun and memorable by including a mascot (costume) in your public education program? Mascots not only make an impact on children, but adults and the media as well.

Regardless of what stage you might be at with your public education program, there is always room for improvement. There is no better time than now to jumpstart your outreach program by including a mascot as part of your program. Cell Phone Sally blog chatted with a few friends who had purchased a costume in the last few months and here is what they had to say.

Sally McGraw with Mid-America Regional Council in Missouri brought in their Cell Phone Sally costume for an appearance at their annual Telecommunicators Appreciation Celebration this past April.  Not only was she a big hit with everyone, but she also provided a great photo opportunity for honorees! Sally McGraw commented that children especially, are really drawn to mascots and this also calls attention to the presence of 9-1-1 outreach information at any event.

And she is not the only one who feels this way! In Tennessee, Angelia Koski of Montgomery County E911, said that the bright color of Cell Phone Sally’s costume always draws attention. She said the kids always love to hug her and practice dialing 9-1-1. Not only is Cell Phone Sally able to be a supportive mascot, but she is also able to be interactive with the kids by utilizing her cell phone buttons to teach kids how to dial 9-1-1!

Promoting your public education program can become easier with a mascot as well. Media outlets are more likely to cover events with mascots interacting with children, because it makes for great news coverage on television. Carly Collins with Permian Basin Regional Planning Commission, in Texas, said she has had nothing but positive reactions to the Cell Phone Sally Costume and that it has been a huge help to 9-1-1 education.

Carly further explained that cell phones are more popular than ever and people of all ages have them. This is why having a mascot that is a cell phone makes it easily relatable and very approachable. She said it is very important to have your mascot tie in to whatever you are promoting and we completely agree! Whether you choose to use Cell Phone Sally as your mascot or come up with your own public education mascot, it is sure to make an impact on your community and help educate the public in a more interactive and fun way. People love mascots and you can’t help but smile when you see them!

The links below highlight safety mascots being used in the country, from poison control to addressing fire safety – we need the presence of mascots to get our message across.

9-1-1/Fire Safety/Stranger Danger - www.billybadge.org

Fires Safety - www.smokeybear.com

Poison Control mascots/characters - www.upstate.edu/poison/kids/stopaskfirst.php

For more information on mascots and how we can help you, please email Robert.gonzalez@csec.texas.gov

Cell Phone Sally’s Friend Josh Helps Celebrate Go Skateboarding Day!

Go Skateboarding Day is officially celebrated on Thursday June 21^st and Cell Phone Sally’s friend Josh is stoked to provide safety tips since he is a professional skateboarder himself and because he wants everyone to be safe while having fun being active! Skateboarding is a popular activity among young people especially now that school is out for summer. Unfortunately, it can also be an activity that causes unintentional injuries or scrapes.

Statistics show that each year in the U.S., skateboarding injuries cause about 50,000 visits to the emergency rooms alone and roughly 1,500 children become hospitalized. Fractures are usually the most common type of skateboarding injury, with rare deaths occurring from collisions with a motor vehicle. In an effort to stay safe and keep the emergency calls to a minimum, Josh wants everyone to remember to follow these cool tips and stay safe while have a grand time staying active!

Always wear the proper safety gear: This includes a helmet as well as elbow, knee and wrist guards. Long pants are a plus too to protect your legs from scrapes or burns in case you fall. Make sure to securely fasten your helmet with the adjustable chin strap to keep the helmet firmly planted on top of your head.

Make sure to get the right size skateboard: Go into any professional skateboard shop and they will happily show you how to find the right size skateboard for your size and shape!

Try to skateboard on smooth surfaces: Skateboarding on smooth surfaces helps eliminate your chances of falling. It is also a good idea to stay away from any kind of traffic when skateboarding because you don’t want to lose control around motor vehicles.

Skateboard during the day: Never skateboard at night because it is not safe for you or others. It is hard to see you and it is hard for you to see where you are going so stick to the daylight when cruising on your board!

Learn how to fall: This can actually help you reduce your chances of injuries! If you are losing your balance, remember to crouch down on the skateboard so you don’t have to fall as hard. If you do fall, try to fall on fleshy parts of your body, opposed to bones, and roll into the fall so that you absorb the impact better. Don’t tense up because that will just make the fall hurt more. And always remember to jump off before you fall off!

Follow these simple steps and you can have fun skateboarding with Josh while also putting safety first! And remember, if there ever is an emergency; always dial 9-1-1 for help!

June is National Safety Month!

June is known as National Safety Month. Why not help play a role in educating and influencing others to be safe and act cautiously in and around places where injuries and deaths can be preventable? Make each week of June carry a theme focusing on certain safety precautions that will benefit everyone and their safety!

WEEK 1 Employee Health and Wellness

The main thing for people to remember is that as long as you take care of your body by eating healthy, participating in outdoor and physical activity, and refraining from smoking, then you are already making a huge effort to have good health and wellness. The statistics alone show that by making changes to your diet, exercise and smoking habits, this could help prevent heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes by up to 80% and cancer by up to 40%.  These statistics speak for themselves so make an effort to eat more fruits and vegetables, take a walk at lunch or do some work around the house and yard to get your body moving!

WEEK 2 Ergonomics

Have a work environment that is fit for you and helps you work smarter and safer for your body and overall health. Some examples of bad ergonomics include overexertion while lifting, lowering, pushing or pulling something. It could also include working in awkward positions or standing and sitting for too long. These types of things cause disorders of the body’s soft tissues and the result can be pain, numbness or tenderness, to name a few. So be careful in your work environment and make sure it is safe for you. This is a good thing to remember while doing home projects as well!

WEEK 3 Preventing Trips, Slips and Falls

While people have a tendency to blame falls on being clumsy or not paying attention, there are lots of other aspects that go into reducing the risks of falling and preventing unneeded injuries. Most falls can be preventable so make sure to keep floors and stairways clear and clean, always have good lighting so that you can see where you are walking and always use a sturdy step stool when climbing or reaching for things in high places. These are just a few examples of fall hazards that can be removed and help keep places safer and people uninjured.

WEEK 4 Driving and Road Safety

Traffic increases on the roads during the summer months and all drivers need to be more aware of everyone and everything around them and drive cautiously. Please try to refrain from using your cell phone while driving, because it can cause a huge distraction. Never drink and drive and always avoid driving aggressively. Aggressive driving includes speeding, tailgating and unnecessary lane changes.

If you follow these tips, you are sure to be on your way to a healthier and safer life style! For more information and even more tips on each of these topics, please visit www.nsc.org/nsc_events/Nat_Safe_Month/Pages/home.aspx?VanUrl=nsm.