Press Room

Protection Program Keeps Kids Safe from Harm
by Cathy Russell and Jenny Godfree

Safety is always a number one priority for responsible childcare professionals. On any ordinary day they know just what to do to keep their little charges healthy and happy. But who helps them get ready for that extraordinary day, that day of hurricane force winds, that day of a crippling ice-storm?

“Canadians think that natural disasters happen in other places,” says Tracy Waddington of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), a not-for-profit research institute. “But in the last ten years natural disasters have increased everywhere, including Canada.” Waddington points to the 1998 ice storm that paralyzed eastern Ontario and Quebec, and to the 1997 Red River flood that put 2000 square km of Manitoba under water, as proof positive that Canadians can no longer be complacent when it comes to the worst nature has to offer.

Through ICLR, the insurance industry funds scientific research and promotes public preparedness in order to reduce the loss of life and property in the face of natural disasters. Knowing how to protect ourselves before a disaster strikes greatly reduces the risk of injury, particularly to our most treasured and vulnerable citizens — our children. Safeguarding children, through simple modification to furniture and equipment, is what ICLR's Protecting Our Kids from Disasters program is all about.

The Protecting Our Kids… program shows child care centres how installing ledge barriers on shelves, anchoring heavy furniture to walls, and covering windows with protective film can prevent injury and property damage. A manual with detailed modification instructions and a demonstration video are all available free of charge from ICLR to owners and operators of child care centres across Canada.

These resources show just how easy it is to make children and staff safer from the worst nature has to offer.

“It's not rocket science,” says Executive Director Paul Kovacs. “All the modifications recommended by Protecting Our Kids…can be carried out by the average adult. These measures not only reduce damage caused by natural disasters, they also improve the overall safety of the centres. The first step in making our kids safer is to call ICLR. The resource materials are free and the work is easy to do.” Tracy Waddington agrees that the program is very user-friendly. “Trust me,” she laughs, “we've modified centres in London, Toronto, Winnipeg and Halifax, and if we can do it, anyone can.”

"There's an old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Well Protecting Our Kids from Disasters is that ounce of prevention. We can't stop natural disasters from coming, but we can give ourselves peace of mind by doing our best to keep our children from harm,” says Kovacs. Protecting Our Kids from Disasters offers child care centres the opportunity to do just that.

For your free Protecting Our Kids from Disasters kit or for more information contact:
Tracy Waddington
151 Yonge St. 18th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5C 2W7
(416) 362-6112, ext. 352
twaddington@iclr.org
www.iclr.org