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Injury Prevention
Safe Kids Island County
Safe Kids Island County is a local community coalition that is part of Safe Kids Washington. The mission of Safe Kids Washington is to create safe and injury free communities in Washington State with a focus on children age 0-19 years old. Safe Kids Washington is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network focused on preventing unintentional childhood injury.
We receive funding from the Traumatic Brain Injury Strategic Partnership Advisory Council of Washington State (TBI Council) through the Washington State Department of Health and Safe Kids Washington for youth brain injury prevention efforts. We provide car seats to families in need, give away bicycle helmets at events, and collaborate with researchers at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training on sports concussion prevention.
Safe Kids Island County was initiated by Island County Public Health in the spring of 2025. We are currently seeking community partners to join the coalition and help expand the scope of our work. Please contact Jen Krenz at j.krenz@islandcountywa.gov if you are interested in learning more.
Resources
Child Passenger Safety
We work closely with our maternal and child health nurses and community health workers to provide car seats to families in need. Please visit the New Baby, New Family webpage or submit a referral form to contact our maternal and child health team.
We highly encourage all car seats to be checked by a child passenger safety technician to make sure they are installed correctly.
Resources
- The Child Passenger Safety Program has a search function to find car seat inspection services: https://wacarseats.com/
- Island County Car and Booster Seat Safety brochure has contact information for technicians in Island County.
- Safe Kids Ultimate Car Seat Guide: https://ucsg.safekids.org/
Helmet Safety
A helmet can help protect your child from a serious brain or head injury. Properly fitted helmets can reduce the risk of head injuries by at least 45%. Helmets should fit properly and be well maintained, age-appropriate, certified for the intended use, and worn consistently and correctly. Island County Public Health staff give helmets away at certain events. Please contact us at PubHealth@islandcountywa.gov if you are interested in learning more.
Sports Concussion Prevention
Concussions are one of the most commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who participate in sports and recreational activities. We encourage collaboration among coaches, athletic trainers, parents and guardians, teammates, and healthcare providers to create a culture of safety for sports programs.
Resources
- Download our Sports Concussion Prevention toolkit.
- CDC HEADS UP resources for youth, parents, coaches, athletic trainers, and health care providers: https://www.cdc.gov/heads-up/site.html
- InfoCabeza aims to provide parents with the tools and knowledge to support their child-athlete to recognize, report and recover from concussion. Available in Spanish and English: https://infocabeza.org/learn/
- Concussion Space provides guidance for coaches on leading pre-game safety huddles: https://concussionspace.org/index.php
Safe Firearm Storage
We partner with King County’s Lock It Up program to provide firearm lockboxes and trigger locks to community members. Storing firearms unloaded and locked, with ammunition locked separately, can reduce the risk of injury and death, including suicide. We attend outreach events and also distribute storage devices through the Island County Concealed Pistol License (CPL) program.
Resources
Water Safety
Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1-4. To prevent drowning, pay attention to kids when they are in and around water and teach kids to swim as soon as they are ready.
For all swimmers, it is important to be aware of cold water temperatures in our region as ‘cold shock’ can cause dramatic changes in breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, creating a greater risk of drowning. Warm air does not always mean warm water, especially in the spring and early summer.
There are life jacket loaner stations at many water access points in Island County. Visit a station and borrow an infant, youth, or adult life jacket for the day or weekend at no charge and return to the same station when finished. Use the interactive map to find a station near you: https://parks.wa.gov/about/rules-and-safety/boater-education-safety/life-jacket-loaner-program
Resources
Poisoning Prevention and Medication Safety
Unintentional poisoning is a leading cause of death and hospitalizations for Island County residents. We promote the safe storage of medications and safe disposal of unneeded medications as strategies to prevent poisonings. Visit the Island County Public Works webpage for more information on disposal of medications and sharps: https://www.islandcountywa.gov/663/Medications-Sharps-Disposal