Skip to Main Content

It's RISK WATCH® Time in Maryland

 

Maryland has an active RISK WATCH® statewide injury prevention program that is merged with the Safe Kids Maryland and local Safe Kids coalitions.  There is a leadership team of partners from many organizations and agencies. Since 2002 The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program at MIEMSS and the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal have coordinating this program in partnership with the Maryland State Firemen's Association Fire & Injury Prevention Committee. Other state partners include: Safe Kids Maryland and local coalitions, Partnership for Safer Maryland (MDH), the Maryland Poison Center, the Maryland Chapter of the American Trauma Society (ATS), Maryland State Police and local law enforcement agencies, the Maryland Highway Safety Office and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. 

RISK WATCH® prevention activities target the high risk and high frequency injuries to children from preschool through eighth grade. RISK WATCH® resources are used in classrooms, before and after school programs, fire & EMS department outreach, libraries, health departments and hospitals. RISK WATCH® gives children, their families, their teachers and the life safety educators in their community the skills and knowledge needed to create safer homes and communities. The RISK WATCH® Curriculum divided into five age-appropriate teaching modules: pre-k/kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-4, grades 5-6, and grades 7-8. RISK WATCH® Modules found in each age group binder are: fire and burn prevention, motor vehicle safety, bike and pedestrian safety, water safety, poison prevention, falls prevention, choking, suffocation and strangulation prevention, and firearms injury prevention. There is also a curriculum on Natural Disasters.

2019 Update Maryland Risk Watch Subcommittee

Risk Watch Maryland is coordinated through the EMS for Children Program at MIEMSS and works in partnership with Safe Kids Maryland. The MSFA Fire & Injury Prevention and Life Safety Committee is a lead member of the Maryland Risk Watch Community that includes 15 communities with RISK WATCH® programs in community safety education, school classrooms, after school programs, home schooling programs, hospital prevention programs, and Safe Kids Coalitions. The RISK WATCH® curriculum includes fire and injury prevention and disaster preparedness educational resources that are targeting children from preschool through eighth grade. Maryland's Risk Watch work includes activities and programs for both children and youth merging prevention materials from American Trauma Society, Department of Natural Resources, FEMA Ready, NFPA, Poison Centers, and Safe Kids Worldwide. Unique to Maryland's Risk Watch initiatives is the implementation includes a special focus on children with special learning and health care needs in Prince George’s County. We would like to expand this unique program into other communities. The team maintains curriculum and training resources for new communities. Contact a subcommittee member for more information at riskwatch@msfa.org. 

Ongoing Risk Watch programs include:
Prevention training and resource sharing at MSFA Fire & Injury Prevention and Life Safety Committee meetings through out the year
Prevention & Life Safety educational display at four MSFA Executive Committee meetings each year
Interactive prevention educational displays for children, youth and families during the annual MSFA Convention with outreach to youth members to assist with the education.
Participation in Safe Kids Maryland and seven local coalition meetings and activities throughout the year.
Dissemination of training DVD "What to Expect When you Dial 9-1-1" and “Right Care When It Counts”
Development of media and training materials specific to injury risk areas

We would like to expand this unique program into other communities. The team maintains curriculum and training resources for new communities. Contact a subcommittee member for more information at riskwatch@msfa.org. 

The 2019 Convention was a great success and the summary is included in the Fall 2019 report to the MSFA and the Safe Kids Maryland page. Planning will start in the fall for the 2020 Convention. Volunteers will again be needed at the MSFA Convention.  ON LINE registration will be open May 2020 - look for a new online registration process. 

Maryland’s Risk Watch team can be contacted by email – riskwatch@msfa.org or through the EMSC program office at MIEMSS 410-706-1758.
   ** For more information about the Maryland RISK WATCH Community contact the committee leader - Cynthia Wright Johnson MSN RNC at cwright@miemss.org or 410-706-1758.​


Risk Watch® Poster Available