Safety Project Stats: 2000-Current
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35 nonstructural child care safety projects completed in western Oregon and Washington.
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2,017 young children currently attending centers. Future attendees benefit long-term.
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574 community volunteers have participated in the safety projects.
Easy and affordable safety techniques
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Fasten cabinets and heavy furniture to walls to prevent toppling.
- Attaching ledge barriers or cargo netting to overhead shelves to keep contents on shelves.
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Installing latches to cabinet doors to keep contents inside.
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Securing picture frames and bulletin boards.
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Securing hot water heater and other appliances to the building frame.
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Installing plastic sleeves over fluorescent light tubes.
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Installing protective safety film to windows to prevent scattering of broken glass.
Do these safety techniques really work?
Yes. The “real-world” effectiveness of the safety techniques used at demonstration projects was tested when the Nisqually Earthquake that struck Washington State on February 28, 2001, rocked the children and staff at Little Church on The Prairie Learning Center in Lakewood, Washington. Several months prior to that quake, Partners for Loss Prevention and others completed a nonstructural safety project at the Learning Center.
According to the center’s director, Pat Ivy, “Nothing fell over because of our preventive measures. It was amazing. Though the church suffered some structural damage (to the foundation), inside there was none. And, most importantly, there were no injuries.”
On December 12, 2000, Oregon's Governor signed an Executive Order to emphasize disaster preparedness. A key goal of the Partners for Disaster Resistance & Resilience: Oregon Showcase State Initiative (PDR) is to establish disaster safety as a public value among a diverse group of partners. The Protection of Childcare Centers is one of the 14 Showcase Elements. As an active PDR partner, PLP collaborates with others on disaster mitigation projects. www.OregonShowcase.org
