Firefighters go door-to-door to spread message about safe sleeping

Spreading the safe sleep message

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- On Wednesday, October 9th, members of the Milwaukee Fire Department went door-to-door to spread the word about safe sleeping for babies. This, as Milwaukee has seen 13 infant deaths this year.

Before the door-to-door program began on Wednesday, Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Bevan Baker and Milwaukee Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing talked about the need for the effort.

"(The basics of safe sleeping) are as easy as ABC. A baby should be sleeping alone. A baby should be sleeping on his or her back. A baby should be sleeping in a crib. And a baby should be sleep in a smoke free environment," Mayor Barrett said.

Mayor Barrett says it is taking more time than he would like to get the message across.

13 infants have died this year due to unsafe sleeping conditions. 15-20 percent of the city's infant deaths are due to unsafe sleeping conditions.

Firefighters who are used to talking to the public about fire safety by going door-to-door on Wednesday also included safe sleeping information.

“Right now we touch 9,000 to 12,000 homes every year going door-to-door," Chief Rohlfing said.

Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan thinks more needs to be done.

“I just don’t think it’s going to solve much. You know I really don’t. Quite frankly, I don’t think the free smoke detectors solve much either. You’re drunk or high and you roll over and suffocate your kid. If that isn’t child abuse or child neglect, I don’t know what is and it borders on second degree murder. If that message got out perhaps that would help deter," Alderman Donovan said.

“I believe that the district attorney in this county and the district attorneys around this state are well equipped to make those decisions and quite honestly if the alderman wants to run for district attorney I wholeheartedly encourage him to do so," Mayor Barrett said.

Health Commissioner Baker said 80% of the sleep-related deaths in Milwaukee don't involve the use of alcohol or drugs, but all agree it is a problem.