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Yell and Tell Program in Milwaukee
Yell and Tell Program in Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- It's a curriculum that's as simple as its name, Yell and Tell.
But the inspiration behind Jean Davidson's program came after the tragic death of her four-year-old grandson, Ryder.
"I am a very sad grandma, very, very sad grandma," says Jean.
Jean shares the story of Ryder, who was pulled into a river by one of his friends who fell in.
But there was another boy there, who saw the whole thing, and never yelled for help.
"He got scared and he didn't want to get yelled at, he didn't want to get in trouble so he ran and he was going to hide," says Jean.
That's when Jean, who is the granddaughter of the founder of Harley-Davidson, developed The Davidson Yell and Tell Program.
Starting this week, Jean's curriculum will be taught in the Milwaukee Fire Department's Survive Alive House.
"We hope to reach the younger kids, the kids who are more likely to hide, not to talk, to be nervous and afraid when they see a dangerous situation," says Milwaukee Fire Department Chief Mark Rohlfing.
The Survive Alive House educates children about fire safety.
But now kids will learn the four basic steps of Yell and Tell, which focuses on what the witness child should do in a dangerous situation.
Those steps include: see what's happening, feel scared, yell for help, and tell an adult.
About 5,000 MPS 2nd graders will go through the Yell and Tell program each year at the Survive Alive House.
Jean plans to continue sharing her program, with the hope that no grandparent suffers the loss she did.