Chinook Volunteer Fire Department Protecting Blaine County Youth
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The Chinook Volunteer Fire Department, in partnership with Community Safety Net, is conducting a safety initiative for local children. The community program, Health Safety and Smart Choices for LIFE provides family resources to educate and protect young people.
According to Fire Chief Kraig Hansen, the Chinook Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) has worked with Community Safety Net in the past, collaborating on a Fire Prevention program. However, with the pandemic a current concern, this initiative made sense, not only to CVFD but to Blaine County Emergency Manager, Hayley Velk.
"This initiative provides young people in our service area with effective tools to stay healthy and safe," Hansen said. "It teaches youth in the target audience of 10-13 year olds to make smart, healthy choices. The book also includes an informative section that is designed to prepare parents to discuss health safety topics."
The health safety materials are funded by community partners and business owners who sponsor a child or children. Through the sponsorship, each child protected will receive a copy of Health Safety: Smart Choices for LIFE. Loaded with practical health safety tips ranging from mental health to pandemics, the approximately 100-page book is comprised of seven sections: Healthy Lifestyle; Healthy Eating; Healthy Play; Healthy Mind; Healthy Environments; Information for Parents; and Fun, Learning, and Graduation.
Sprinkled throughout the text are twenty Words to Live By. From Accountability to Responsibility, these values are presented with definitions that remind youth how the value can play out in their lives. As an illustration, page 53 displays "integrity as being honest and doing what you say you will."
Another feature of the book is the Thought Starters that close each section. For example, page 56 shares a list of six thought prompts like this one: "If you had a friend with low self-esteem, how would you help him or her?"
A sponsored child will also have access to a free Community Safety App download. The app shares safety tips, important phone numbers, videos, contests, and more.
Anyone seeking further information or wishing to purchase a sponsorship or sponsorships is encouraged to visit the Blaine County Help Kids Now website (https://www.helpkidsnow.com/books/chinook-volunteer-fire-department/support). Pledges can be made from the website or by sending a tax deductible donation to Community Safety Net; Chinook Project, Box 559; Pembina, ND 58271.
Other questions can be directed to Chief Hansen by calling 357-2500 or to Velk by calling 357-3310.
When asked what appealed to her about this initiative, Velk stated: "When Kraig shared the idea with me, I was struck by how this initiative touched on all wellness. It isn't just about smoke detectors and fire safety but addresses self-esteem, mental health, emergency preparedness, and mask wearing. Essentially, it does a good job of rolling everything together to address whole person wellness."
