The Chippewa Falls Public Library: Kid Safe, Kid Friendly

Summer is upon us and the public library is a popular daytime (and evening) destination for kids looking to keep their minds sharp and spend some time in front of an air conditioning vent.

We welcome children all the year 'round, and especially when we have as many children's programs and events going on as we do during the summer months...

And, even though we try our best to be as fun as we can, we also need to make sure the children who come in the library are safe. This is why, this past spring, the Chippewa Falls Public Library Board of Trustees wisely clarified the library's Unattended Child Policy. You can read the whole thing here.

The policy basically says:

1. Any child under 8 has to be with an adult or sibling of at least 12 years of age.

2.Children 8 or older who come in alone have to behave appropriately in the library or they can be asked to leave; if the behavior is unsafe or destructive, a child's parents or some other authority may be contacted.

3. Parents/guardians/siblings have to directly supervise their children while in the library...ignoring them while using a computer or going off to browse isn't safe, and we will gently remind patrons if we need to.

4. If it looks like a child has been left at closing time, we'll ask if a parent is coming and do our best to get in touch with mom or dad. If we can't get in contact with anyone, we'll call the police and, if this happens, the Department of Children and Families could get involved.

We want to make sure all our patrons, whatever the age, are happy and safe here. We'll need the community's help to make that as certain as we can.

Spread the word to the parents, guardians and big brothers/sisters you know.

Thanks!

December: Safe Toys and Gifts Month

One Christmas morning in the early 1980s, I watched a kid named Kevin try to use a toy called a "Pogo Ball." It was essentially a very firm kickball attached to a platform upon which a child was expected to stand while holding part of the ball tightly between his feet. Then, said child was supposed to hop. This is all true. Picture here.

Anyway, I watched Kevin excitedly run out of his front screen door with it, put it upon the ground, get his feet on it as per the instructions (while leaning against a garbage can), hop once and then immediately land with some force face-first on his driveway. He went back inside far less excitedly than he ran out.

For those of us who have to buy Christmas gifts for children, it's nice to know there are resources out there to help us make decisions that will keep them from doing high speed face-plants on the sidewalk or "shooting their eye out."

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a veritable library of toy safety publications. Definitely worth a look for parents. Especially "Toy Safety Shopping Tips" and list of toy recalls.

The Federation of Public Interest Research Groups's Toy Safety Report 2010

Kidshealth.org--Choosing Safe Toys

World Against Toys Causing Harm (WATCH)--Their list of ten worst toys would be funny if the toys weren't real. My favorite: "Walkaroo II Aluminum Stilts."

American Academy of Pediatrics toy safety page.

Prevent Blindness America's site tells us more about buying eye-safe toys for children.

Falls: No Laughing Matter

Many people love pratfalls and see clumsiness as an essential part of the classic comedic sensibility. Witness Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin stumbling and bumbling through scenes or, more recently, the work of physical comedians like Chevy Chase or Chris Farley.

But as tempted as we are to laugh at the idea of people falling down, it is a problem. As posted on this blog previously, Chief Tom Larson was alarmed to recently find out that Chippewa County leads the nation in fall-related hospitalizations per capita. Just this morning, he told me that 20% of the paramedic calls that the Chippewa Falls Fire Department goes out each year on are for falls.

This is a problem that is especially prevalent among seniors. Some facts (courtesy of the Chippewa Health Improvement Partnership):


>Almost 1/3 of all adults over the age of 65 fall each year
>1% of falls result in hip fractures
>25% of adults who break a hip are dead within six months
>25% of adults with hip fractures require long-term care at a cost to Medicare of $3.1 billion per year
>Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries

And the fact is that the majority of falls are preventable. Simple things like decent lighting, picking up clutter and making sure the carpet on the stairs is tacked down can save you a doctor visit...or the life of a loved one.

Below are some links to some documents I scanned today that explain the problem and some things that can be done to help.

Facts on Falls for Seniors

Fall Prevention Brochure