12-05-2025
Safe Kids Onslow County promotes summer safety for children
JACKCSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — With May being Safe Kids Month, One Place and Safe Kids Onslow County will join more than 400 local coalitions and partners nationwide to help local children and families have a safe summer season.
During the summer months, unintentional childhood injuries and deaths increase. Around 40% of all unintentional injury deaths in children occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
'Ensuring every child's safety is a responsibility we all share! Safe Kids Month serves as a vital reminder that awareness, prevention, and action save lives. By taking these proactive measures, we can protect our children today and create a safer tomorrow,' Coordinator for Safe Kids Onslow County and Childcare Resource and Referral Coordinator for Local Nonprofit One Place, Bethany Esau said.
With May also being Child Passenger Safety Technician Month, One Place will have four CPSTs on staff to provide car seat checks and safety information to parents and caregivers in the community. If you have a car seat correctly installed, it can reduce the risk of death by as much as 71%.
'Car seat safety is essential because it protects lives, reduces the risk of serious injury, and ensures that every journey ends safely,' CPST and Family and Community Outreach Manager for Early Head Start at One Place, Charlene Dudley said.
Here are some safety tips and resources to support parents and caregivers to help keep children safe during the summer season, and all year round:
Child Passenger Safety:
Choose the right car seat for your child's weight, height, and age.
Use and install your car seat according to the directions.
A properly installed car seat should not move more than one inch when the base is tugged.
Keep children in rear-facing seats as long as possible until the child outgrows the seat by height or weight.
Teach children from a young age to buckle up every ride, every car, every time.
Water Safety:
Watch children around the water. Keep young children within arm's reach of an adult.
Enroll children in survival swim lessons and learn CPR.
Installed 4-sided fences around home pools.
Teach children to wear life jackets.
Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen (UVA+UVB) with at least SPF 30. Reapply at least every two hours.
Safe Sleep:
Place babies on their backs to sleep until they are a year old. Make sure babies sleep on a firm, flat, and level surface in their own crib, bassinet, or play yard.
Choose a firm mattress and fitted sheet for the crib.
Remove everything from the sleep environment except the fitted sheet.
Dress the baby in a wearable blanket, onesie, or similar clothing to keep them warm. A loose blanket can cover the baby's airway or make their body temperature too high while they sleep.
Share your room, not your bed, for the first year of life. Place the baby's crib, bassinet, or play yard in your bedroom instead of letting the baby sleep in the same bed with you.
Here are some upcoming Safe Kids Hot Car Display Dates:
5/17- OCPL Comic Book Fest 10a.m.-3p.m.
6/14- OCPL Summer Reading Kickoff Event 10a.m.-2p.m.
6/21- Red Knights NC9 Motorcycle Scavenger Hunt @ New River Harley Davidson 9a.m.-3p.m.
For more information on Safe Kids click here or follow @SafeKidsOnslow on Facebook. To schedule a car seat check, Call or Text 'SafeKids' to (910) 333-0608.
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