By Julianna D’Urzo, SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) One local hospital is hosting Kid’s Safety Day. This is an initiative that focuses on preventing injuries. Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital will provide children with an interactive event.
Elizabeth Sapio is the injury prevention coordinator and kid’s safe coordinator at Golisano Children’s Hospital. She says the event is meant to be both “interactive and fun.” On Wednesday, children will have the opportunity to travel through “safety land” as Sapio calls it, where kids will be given a passport and they will receive stamps on each safety spot. Each spot features a different learning outcome. Kids will learn about pedestrian safety, bikes and helmet safety, sports safety, home safety and fire prevention.
Sapio believes that it’s engaging events like this that are effective in bringing awareness to families.
“It’s hard to measure how many preventable injuries we’ve prevented. But I think knowing that more people are aware and are thinking about it is hopefully the step towards preventing them” says Sapio.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the main cause of death in children under the age of nineteen is injury. This is why the hospital is making an effort to educate children about precautions they can take to remain safe.
The hospital is partnering with National Grid for the event which will take place on Wednesday at Burnet Park from 5-8 p.m. This year marks the 10th anniversary for Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital which resulted in National Grid’s sponsorship of the event.
“National grid for this event wanted to bring something to the community to really recognize the Children’s Hospital, and what Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital represents, which is bringing community and safety,” says Sapio.
She says that there will be many celebrations in the next coming months to celebrate the hospital’s anniversary.
