Playground Fall Prevention Sample News Release
- Please note: Before filling in the names of the Organization and Organization spokesperson, you MUST contact them to obtain their permission to use their names in this press release, and you must get their approval for the language in their quotations, and any changes or additions they may require. Only after this is done should you send out the press release.
The New York State Child Fall Prevention Campaign Promotes Safety Measures to Protect Children at Play.
Make sure a day in the park doesn't turn into a night in the ER. Protect your children from fall injuries.
Falls are a leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits among children ages 19 years and under in New York State (NYS). Hospitals treat an average of more than 106,000 fall-related injuries to children under 19 each year. These injuries account for almost $111 million in charges for hospital emergency department visits and almost $53 million in hospitalization charges. Falls most often occur at home, on playgrounds, and while playing sports. The good news is that parents and caregivers can prevent fall-related injuries among children.
"Childhood falls can be an everyday occurrence. Just because they're common doesn't mean they can't be prevented. It's critical to recognize the risks of falls to children and how to prevent injuries caused from falling," said (name and title) of the ( local health agency name).
"Fall injuries among children often occur on playgrounds," said (insert name). Playground injuries mostly occur among children ages five to 14. To decrease the risk of children being injured while on a playground, caregivers should take the following precautions:
- Never leave children unattended while they are using playground equipment.
- Ensure areas under and around playground equipment are either covered or filled with soft materials, such as rubber mats, wood chips, pea gravel, or shredded/recycled rubber mulch, and extend six feet from all sides of the equipment.
- Check equipment for wear and fix any hazards, such as cracked or broken parts, as soon as possible.
- Make sure there is ample room between play equipment to act as a buffer zone in case a child falls.
- Do not allow children to play on equipment designed for older children. Children under the age of two should not climb higher than 32 inches, and children ages two to five should not climb higher than 60 inches.
For more information on childhood falls, call the (local health agency name) at (phone number).
