Keep your kiddos safe this summer with important safety tips from an expert



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Most injuries to children happen during the next three months than any other time of the year. Real Milwaukee's Nicole Koglin and Rob Haswell sit down with Bridget Clementi of Children's Hospital with some summer safety tips.

Here are some statistics:
• Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in children.

• According to the Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health, in 2012 alone:

•  More than 2,300 Wisconsin children were hospitalized due to an unintentional injury.

• Falls account for 75 percent of all playground-related injuries, while lack of supervision or improper supervision is associated with approximately 45 percent of playground injuries.

• An estimated 3,600 children in the U.S. go to an emergency room each year after nearly drowning.

• More than 800 children die due to accidental drowning.

• Swimming pools are the most common site for drowning to occur for children ages 1 to 4 and the majority of infant drowning deaths happen in bathtubs or large buckets.

• Nearly 10,00 children are injured in the US in incidents involving a lawn mower each year.
Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe and Healthy Goal:
Our goal is to help keep kids safe this summer. Many injuries can be prevented through education and awareness. So we are here – not to scare you, but to help make parents aware of the dangers and give them safety tips to hopefully help make this summer safer.

Most critical is active adult supervision
- free yourself from distractions, like cellphones,
Whether at the park, a lake, a cookout, or pool party—always make sure your child is being closely supervised.

- Drowning usually happens quickly and silently when children are out of sight for less than 5 minutes.

For more information Kohl's Cares Grow Safe and Healthy, CLICK HERE.

Important summer safety topics include:

Playground Safety Tips
On the playground remember to PLAY it safe:

P = Play appropriately
- never push or roughhouse on playground equipment

- ensure children use age appropriate playground equipment

L = Look out for Loose clothing or shoe laces
- these can present an accidental strangulation hazard when caught on play sets

A = Active Adult supervision
- be attentive to your children, their surrounds, what they are playing on to be sure it is safe

Y = Your playground surfaces
- safer surfaces include mulch, pea gravel and shredded rubber

Backyard Fire Safety Tips
- Each year in the United States, charcoal or gas grill fires injure almost 3,800 Americans and an estimated 5,700 grill fires occur on residential properties.

- Keep a 3 foot “kid-free zone” around a grill or fire pit.

Water Safety Tips
- Practice caution when in or near the water

- Maintain constant supervision

- Enroll children in swim lessons to help teach them water safety—many YMCAs offer class as young as 6 month through adult

- Teach children how to safely act and play around water—never run, push, dunk or jump on others

- Do not play near creeks, drainage ditches or other bodies of water, especially when there is fast-running water or currents. Know that the water may be deeper than it looks.

- Swim only in areas designated for swimming and areas that are guarded by lifeguards.

- Enclose pools and spas completely with a fence or barrier

- Know how to respond to a water emergency—know how and when to call 9-1-1

- Know CPR--enroll in a Red Cross water safety and/or first aid course

Lawnmower Safety Tips
- Talk to children about the dangers of mowers. Kids need to know that mowers are “revolving knives” and never approach one while running.

- Best to stay inside the house and under adult supervision while lawn mower is in use outside.

- We recommend, not letting children younger than 16 operate a riding lawn mower.

- Children younger than 12 should not operate a push mower.

Call to action:
More detailed safety tips and information on all these summer activities and more can be found at www.kohlssafeandhealthy.com

To learn more you can also — join us for:
Spriggy’s Mobile Tours
Join us at one of our more than 30 scheduled Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy mobile unit tours this summer.

Where we are out bringing safety education into the community.

Kids can play the “Keep Spriggy Safe” game at the interactive digital mobile kiosks and parents can pick up free injury prevention information from our team on the street.

Come meet and play with Spriggy, our fun, lovable character who we are constantly trying to keep safe.

You can find our mobile tour schedule on our events page at www.kohlssafeandhealthy.com

Why is this partnership important for the community?
The Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy injury prevention program teaches children in our community how to stay safe in the home, outdoors and on the go. The program, a partnership of Kohl’s Cares® and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, provides safety information to children and adults in our community in a fun and interactive way.

• More than 2,300 Wisconsin children are hospitalized each year due to unintentional injury.

• Unintentional or accidental injury remains the leading cause of death in children ages 18 and younger in the United States.

• Research shows that, through education and awareness, many of these injuries are preventable.