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OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- Keeping children safe is a passionate mission for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services as it launches a new public education campaign June 1.
Using the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Public Education Program, OKDHS is having two 30-second public service messages distributed to all Oklahoma broadcasters.
The goal is to have participating broadcasters run “Don’t Leave Children Alone” and “Don’t Leave Children Alone in Cars” during the summer months to reduce the chances of children being seriously injured or dying in hot cars or drowning in pools or ponds.
Education and awareness is the key according to George Earl Johnson Jr., OKDHS communications director.
“Our children and family services professionals are continuing their work to raise levels of awareness about not leaving young children alone to reduce the numbers of those who may be injured because they are left unsupervised,” Johnson said. “Most parents think they are only going to be gone for a few minutes when they leave their child in a car or unattended. It only takes three minutes under the Oklahoma summer sun to raise the temperature inside an automobile to more than 140° Fahrenheit. A small child’s body cannot take that kind of heat without risking serious injury or death.”
In June 2000, the OKDHS started its first “Don’t Leave Kids in Hot Cars” campaign. During the years 1997 to 2000, seven children died in Oklahoma as a result of being left in hot cars.
With cooperation from the state’s media, law enforcement and concerned citizens, the campaign has helped educate Oklahomans on the risks involved in these issues. Only one child has died in a hot car in Oklahoma since June 2000.
However, children have suffered from serious injuries or died in house fires, drowned in pools and ponds and from access to dangerous chemicals and medications. “Our staff believes many, if not all, of these kinds of serious injuries or deaths are preventable,” Johnson said. “It’s important for all of us to be attentive to the children around us, whether they are our children or not. We believe that through this public education effort, several children’s lives will be saved this summer when a person sees a young child alone in a hot car or unattended in the community and takes the appropriate actions.”
In the best interest of the whole family, parents or caregivers should not leave infants and toddlers alone period. “That’s the best preventative effort we can offer children,” Johnson said.
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