Clark County Public Health works to keep kids safe by promoting safety policies and being part of the Safe Kids Clark County coalition. AMR Southwest Washington provides local coordination for Safe Kids Clark County and it is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Safe Kids USA is a grassroots network of more than 600 coalitions and chapters that work closely with health professionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, educators, businesses, public policy makers, and, most importantly, parents and kids to promote child safety.
Meetings
Safe Kids Clark County meets on the third Tuesday of the month and is moving to meeting every other month. Next meeting will be October 17, 2023 at 10 am on Microsoft Teams. All are welcome. Link to meeting will be added closer to the meeting.
Safe Kids Clark County activities
Some of their priorities are proper installation and usage of children's car seats, educating the public about baby's safe sleep, bike safety and proper helmets, reducing child vehicular injuries and deaths, teens and distracted driving as well as water safety.
Life jacket program
Safe Kids Clark County/AMR Southwest Washington maintains the life jacket loaner stations at Klineline Pond, Marine Park and Lewisville River and park during the summer months. The loaner stations with life jackets ranging in size from infant to adult are re-stocked every summer, starting the week of Memorial Day. These stations were constructed by local Boy Scouts and the life jackets are funded by grants from the Nautical Safety Foundation.
Everyone is encouraged to use a life jacket while participating in water activities and then return the jacket to the loaner station. A properly fitted life jacket should be snug, but comfortable. When lifting the shoulders of the jacket, the child’s chin and ears should not slip through.
Life jackets can save lives! Be sure to wear a life jacket if you’re swimming in lakes, rivers or the ocean. Children should always wear life jackets. Inflatable toys do not keep children safe. Find more swim safety tips here.
Parents should vigilantly supervise their children at all times around the water. Clark County Code 9.05.080 prohibits adults from leaving children unaccompanied in or near a lake, pond or other waterway.
Klineline Pond at Salmon Creek Regional Park no longer has lifeguards on duty.
Child car seat safety
Want professional help to learn how to install your child’s car seat? A trained technician will teach you everything you need to know to make sure your car seat is fitted and installed correctly. The technician will also verify that your child’s car seat meets federal standards and that it is not a counterfeit/knock-off.
If a car seat fitting is needed, schedule an appointment with Weston Perkins-Clark at the website Safe Kids Clark County. Weston Perkins-Clark, AMR Southwest Washington, is the Safe Kids Clark County coordinator.
New child car seat laws that went into effect January 1, 2020, have important changes to Washington's Child Restraint law. Children up to 2 years old must ride in a rear-facing car seat and from 2-4 years must ride in a car seat with harness. Children shorter than 4 feet, 9 inches and who have outgrown the child harness seat must use a booster seat, regardless of age. Also, children under 13 must ride in the back seat of the vehicle. This new law decreases the chance of children dying or being seriously injured in a collision.
Other activities
Safe Kids Clark County and their volunteers also participate in the annual Walk to School Day and Bike to School Day events at several local elementary schools.
Safe Kids Worldwide promotes Safe Kids Week, an annual communication campaign in May to educate the public about life-saving programs.
Bike safety
Safe Kids Clark County receives donations to purchase bike helmets for kids and promotes bike safety at local schools. The Walk, Run, Walk or Roll page has more information about bike safety as well as a Bike Safety Quiz.
Keep your child safe at home, at play and on the way!
Keep your child safe at home, at play and on the way!Accidental injury is the leading cause of death in children 14 and under. Most of these injuries are preventable. Safe Kids Worldwide offers education and resources to parents, guardians, educators, and others. Topics include:
Safe Kids Worldwide also advocates for smart public policies to improve child safety and prevent injuries. For more information on their advocacy, read their letters of support and position statements.
Related information
- Bicycle Safety for Children: Myths & Facts
- Car Seats: Information for Families
- Child Fatality Review and Prevention
- Healthy Youth Survey
- How to spot counterfeit child car seats
- Life jackets loaner programs
- Safe Kids Washington
- Safe Routes to School
- SIDS: "Safe to Sleep" public education campaign
- Ultimate Car Seat Guide
- Washington Poison Control Center 800.222.1222
- Washington State Child Passenger Safety Program
For more information, contact the Chronic Disease Prevention team.