Date: 9/16/04

Contact/Writer: Sarah DuBose, (864) 656-4049

Editor: Susan Bedingfield (864) 656-3876

Clemson Extension helps S.C. children stay safe

CLEMSON – Children in 10 South Carolina counties will be a little safer this school year, thanks to a Clemson Extension program.

Schools in Aiken, Beaufort, Charleston, Chester, Chesterfield, Columbia, Darlington, Dorchester, Marlboro, Oconee, and Orangeburg are participating in the first implementation of the National Fire Protection Association’s child injury prevention program known as Risk Watch.

Risk Watch links teachers with community safety experts and parents. The curriculum is divided into five age-appropriate teaching modules Pre-K/Kindergarten, Grades 1-2, Grades 3-4, Grades 5-6 and Grades 7-8. Each addresses topics ranging from water safety to poison prevention.

“The curriculum is for pre-K through 8 th grade and is designed to teach eight safety skills with teacher lessons, student activity pages and an interactive website,” said Sarah DuBose, Clemson Extension associate and Risk Watch state coordinator. “Since this program meets state health and safety requirements, it fits right into the classroom setting.”

The Risk Watch state team includes: Judy Furtick, Orangeburg 4-H extension agent; Rev. Charles Daniel, Project Coordinator for Project Impact at Benedict College; and Rodney Profit, assistant fire chief at Summerville Fire Department.

S.C. SAFE KIDS, the S.C. Farm Bureau, and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of S.C., Hartsville Fire Department, and Beaufort Fire Department have donated funds and support for the program, which will help children and their families learn to be safer.

In addition, DuBose received a $15,000 grant in 2003 from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

“The grant has furnished money for a Risk Watch Child Injury Program in South Carolina. NFPA developed this award program to help deal proactively with public safety issues impacting today's children and families,” said DuBose. “It is a multi-million dollar initiative that helps local public educators and safety advocates introduce Risk Watch to communities.”

NFPA is an international nonprofit membership organization founded in 1896 as the National Fire Protection Association.

The organization’s 300 safety codes and standards influence every building, process, service, design and installation in the United States, as well as many of those used in other countries.

Participating schools include:

• Aiken – J.D. Lever Elementary
• Beaufort – all Head Start programs
• Charleston –C.C. Blaney Elementary
• Chester – Great Falls Elementary
• Chesterfield – K-3 After School programs
• Columbia – River Springs Elementary, Irmo
• Darlington -- Hartsville – all 4 th grades
• Dorchester -- Summerville – Summerville Catholic School
• Marlboro – K-3 After School programs
• Oconee – Oconee Christian School and Fair Oaks Elementary, Seneca
• Orangeburg -- Bowman Elementary, Clark Middle and Marshall Elementary

END