Back to School Safety Tips from Cell Phone Sally

Can you believe the summer is over and it is time to head back to school? As you start sending your children back to school, it is important to keep a few emergency safety tips in mind to help create a successful school year!

Here are a few back to school tips:

1.    Know Personal Info: Make sure your kids know your name, your phone number and their address. If they were to get lost or were in an emergency, knowing this information can help children get help quicker if they need it!

2.    Emergency Kit: Create a portable first aid/emergency kit for children to carry in their backpacks. That way, if something happens your children are prepared. Items could include: small flashlight, emergency whistle, band-aids, antibiotic ointment, Chapstick, a small snack, antibacterial hand cleaner, and wipes are just a few items you could include. Parents- also include an ID card for children to have on them. Here is a free one to fill out: https://momwithaprep.com/emergency-id-cards-free/ and it shares all ways that these come in handy.

3.    Traveling to/from school: Make sure you have a walking route to school or the bus stop. Walk the route with your children the first few times so they know which way to go. And if they are too young to walk alone, then make sure to walk with them or have a friend/classmate walk with them and stay on sidewalks if possible. Make sure your child knows to never talk to strangers and to obey all traffic signs.

4.    Have a Family Password: Make sure your family has a secret password that only the family knows. Parents- only share this special password with trusted family and friends who might pick your child up. This way if a stranger approaches your child for a ride or anything, your child should ask the person for the password and if they do not know it, then the child knows it is a bad person. Read more about why family passwords are important here: https://momwithaprep.com/do-you-have-a-family-password/

5.    Escape Plans: Schools have protocols on how to get kids out of the school in an emergency, but it is still good to talk to your children about when they are allowed to walk away and go home or call to get a ride home from you or a trusted adult. Parents or guardians, ask the teacher or administrative staff for a copy of their plan.

6.    Communicate with Your Children: Ask them how their day was and make sure to keep the lines of communication open in case something bad happens at school. This way your child will be more comfortable talking about issues that could be dangerous to them or others.

For additional tips on back to school smarts visit this website link. You can learn more about healthy snacks, bus stop safety, bullying, and food allergies, to name a few. Remember, if you or a loved one finds themselves in an emergency situation, please do not hesitate to contact 9-1-1. We are here to help and wish all children a great 2020-2021 school year!

NPEF 2019 Conference Wrap Up

It was an exciting time July 14^th through the 17^th in Virginia Beach, Virginia as 125 9-1-1 and emergency service educators from 23 different states came together to learn and participate in the 9^th Annual National Public Safety Educator Forum Conference. The theme for this year’s conference had to do with water and ocean life since the conference was so close to the beach and conference staff had a lot of fun decorating the room prior to the conference beginning.

The conference kicked off on a Sunday afternoon and hit the ground running with all attendees being separated into groups of 10-12 people. Within these groups the attendees had to complete two projects. The first project was “Think Outside the Box” with NPEF committee member Susan Rodriguez challenging conference goers to come up with all the ins and outs of planning an event from budget, to analytics, to information to share and how many people would be expected at the event and more. The other project came from NPEF committee member Melinda Crockom who led groups in helping them coming up with a Public Service Announcement in a jingle format on different 9-1-1 topics such as text-to-911, Kari’s Law, Know You Location and Lock it in Your Pocket. All projects and PSAs were a big hit when shared at the end of the conference.

One attendee shared, “Great job to the Conference Staff. We have sent our staff to this event for 4 years now, and I have been lucky enough to attend twice” She went on to state “I think this is one of the best National Conferences that I have ever attended. You all put a lot of time and work in to these and it shows. Every single person that I have spoken with about the conference agrees that this is one of the most beloved conferences.”

The conference was jam-packed with some great speakers, including keynote speaker Ron Rosenberg, who spoke about doubling your memory and the secrets of marketing. Other speakers covered topics on collaborating with other entities, social media tips, and design principles, to name a few.

A conference attendee shared, “The speakers were well rounded, and each had a different topic. 911 Education was a hit from multiple angles, and I was able to take a lot back home!”

To see testimonials or PSAs from this year’s conference, please visit the NPEF YouTube page. Next year will be even more exciting as we embark on our 10^th Annual Conference which will take place in Austin, Texas in July 2020. You won’t want to miss this one! For more information on NPEF or to become a member for FREE, visit www.911npef.org.