Parkview Medical Center
has earned the Joint Commission's
Gold Seal of Approval.
|
|
|
|
6th Annual Teddy Bear Clinic focuses on family emergency preparedness
Who: Parkview Medical Center and numerous community partners
What: Hosting 6th Annual “Teddy Bear Clinic”
Where: Pueblo Mall, 3429 Dillon Drive
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, August 4, 2007
PUEBLO, Colo. (July 18, 2007)--- Parkview Medical Center is proud to host the 6th annual Teddy Bear Clinic on Saturday, August 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pueblo Mall. Each year, the focus of the Teddy Bear Clinic has been to create awareness about injury prevention, and to help parents improve children’s health. However, this year’s event, the focus will turn to emergency preparedness for the entire family. Parkview and major sponsors: Kiwanis Club of Pueblo and their Safe Kids Coalition; Pueblo City County Health Department; American Family Insurance, Tony Cristelli Agency; News First Channels 5 & 30; Parkview Auxillary; and Farmers Insurance Group, present Southern Colorado’s first family emergency preparedness fair.
“In the last year, southern Colorado has been faced with several weather related disasters, from the blizzards that buried southeastern Colorado to the tornado that ravaged Holly,” explained Marian Heesaker RN, BSN, MA, Parkview Director of Health Initiatives. “We know that the better prepared you are, the safer you will be. So we want to do our part in educating the community on preparing their family for the next emergency or disaster, because you never know when it will arrive or what form it will come in,” Heesaker continued.
The first 72 hours of an emergency are the most critical. The Teddy Bear Clinic will focus on encouraging every member of the family to take an active role in the preparedness plan, including building an emergency preparedness kit. “Every family should have a plan of action in the event of an emergency, we know that is not always the case,” Heesaker explained. “After the Teddy Bear Clinic we hope more families will be empowered to put their plan together.”
Kids, their families and of course their favorite teddy bear, will make their way through the Pueblo Mall, visiting several emergency preparedness exhibits. Each exhibit will feature a community partner to educate families on a specific element of emergency preparedness, as well as what goes into an emergency preparedness kit. Kids will also be treated to fun games and activities to get them thinking about preparedness. Games will include: “Prepare Your Memory”; “What’s in Your Emergency Kit?”; “Obstacles to Preparedness”; and “Don’t be Blindsided by an Emergency”. Families will also receive ideas for activities to keep kids busy and entertained during an emergency.
Families are also encouraged to head outside to the mall parking lot where the Drive Smart Pueblo will have a drive-up free car seat safety check-point located in the mall parking lot. Colorado State Patrol will also have their Seat Belt Convincer and DUI Simulator on-site.
“We invite everyone to attend the free, 6th annual Teddy Bear Clinic, and hope parents and children will have a great day while learning to stay safe in the event of an emergency!” Heesaker said.
Parkview Medical Center’s
6th annual Teddy Bear Clinic
Community Partners
- American Medical Response
- American Red Cross
- Colorado State Patrol
- Country Buffet
- Drive Smart Pueblo
- Pueblo County Department of Emergency Management
- EPYCS – Pueblo West High School
- El Pueblo Group of Colorado Mountain Club
- Kiwanis Club of Pueblo
- Lowe’s
- National Weather Service
- Pueblo Animal Services
- Pueblo Board of Water Works
- Pueblo City-County Health Department
- Pueblo Community College Dental Hygiene Program
- Pueblo Community College Critical Care Program
- Pueblo County Sheriff’s Department
- Pueblo Fire Department
- Pueblo Police Department
- YMCA
- 211 for South Eastern Colorado
For more information about Parkview’s Teddy Bear Clinic, please call Parkview Health Initiatives at (719) 584-4760.
| |