Safety Town

Safety Town is a name given to an area, typically smaller in scale, that represents an actual town for the purpose of instructing children. Hands on training is offered, of the many dangers present in the world beyond a childs home and yard.

USA

New York

Safety Town, in East Meadow on Long Island in New York at Eisenhower Park, is a miniature town operated by the Nassau County Police Department that teaches children about traffic safety. An actual miniature town built to 1/3 scale, it includes paved streets, two intersections equipped with traffic signals, an overpass, two tunnels, a simulated railroad crossing and 21 buildings. It allows the NCPD's Traffic Safety Unit to teach traffic and bicycle safety to grade schoolers under controlled conditions.

Children are taught about the rules governing pedestrians and bikers sharing the road with motorists. Attendants go through Safety Town as pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists (in electric-powered miniature cars).

Children ages 7-9 generally visit Safety Town. School groups make up the bulk of visitors during the school year. Children attending during school field trips are usually in the third grade.

Florida

Safety Town in New Port Richey in Pasco County, Florida is an example of the training offered in respect to the many hazard possibilities not always considered in other cities or states. The grounds have multiple scale buildings designed to mimic actual familiar locations such as fast food and chain stores. There are paved streets with an operating railroad gate. A child scale phone booth is used along with tips listed on a billboard for training to make 911 calls. Fire safety includes measures taken for a personal clothing fire.

Along with traffic & bicycle safety, there are school bus loading and unloading practices. With Florida's extensive lakes, retaining ponds and drainage canals, water and boating safety are taught. Children learn to reisist the tempting nature of possible predator strangers, the lure of loose pets and wild animals. Incidental hazards such as electrical storms and downed power lines are included.

Tours of instruction are intended for kindergarten through 2nd grade students, ages 5 through 8 years. The facilities also train school crossing guards, Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) members for emergency response drills and holds Bicycle Safety Rodeos.

Support continues from commercial and private sources of both voluntary time and funding.

In the Tampa Bay area, there are similar safety towns in Tampa (near Lowry Park Zoo) and Clearwater.

UK

lough

Slough, Berkshire, England, was once known as "safety town". In this case, the label did not relate specifically to child safety but to road safety in general. The main feature was a set of linked traffic lights which, if drivers observed the speed limit, would minimise delays at intersections.

External links

* [http://pascosheriff.com/websmart/Pasco/static/Safety%20Town/Safety%20Town.html Pasco Safety Town]