RISK WATCH® prevention activities target the high risk and high frequency injuries to children from preschool through eighth grade. RISK WATCH® links teachers with community safety experts and parents. Maryland has had an active RISK WATCH® state leadership team since 2002 and received a RISK WATCH® Champion Award from 2003-2005 from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program at MIEMSS and the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal are the lead agencies coordinating this ongoing program. Other state partners include: the Fire Prevention Committee of the Maryland State Firemen’s Association and the Ladies Auxiliary, Maryland State Police, Safe Kids Maryland and local coalitions, the State Highway Administration, the Maryland & National Capital Poison Centers, the Maryland Chapter of the American Trauma Society (ATS), and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

During the Champion Award in Maryland, five communities placed the RISK WATCH® program into 187 classrooms reaching over 3100 children during the 2003-2004 school year. The 5 communities are Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties, the special needs schools in Maryland and parochial schools in Charles. During the 2004-2005 year St Mary’s County has joined the Maryland CMT and during the 2005-2006 year Carroll County has joined with a mainstreamed Elementary School. UNIQUE to MARYLAND RISK WATCH®: the Implementation includes a special focus on children with special learning and health care needs in Prince George’s County and the partnership’s with home school groups, county libraries, and day care centers in Montgomery County. RISK WATCH® resources are available to children before and after school and in the summers in Montgomery, Howard and Frederick Counties. .

RISK WATCH Champion Management Team:

Health: Cynthia Wright-Johnson, MSN RNC, EMSC Program Director, MEIMSS

Fire: W. Faron Taylor, Director Public Information & Media Affairs, OSFM

Law Enforcement: Charlie Eisele, NREMTP,
MSP Aviation

Education: Vacant

Maryland RISK WATCH Communities on the Champion Management Team:

Carroll County introduced Winfield Elementary to Risk Watch in January 2006

Cecil County is working to pilot the program in Elementary & Middle Schools

Frederick County is working with the YMCA for summer programs

Howard County has implemented Risk Watch in after school with Parks & Recreation

Montgomery County has Risk Watch in public, private, home schools and Risk Watch Recess as well as Day Care Centers at the Community College

Potomac Heights Christian Academy in Charles County

Prince George ’s Special Education Centers continue to use Risk Watch year round

Prince George ’s County Fire Prevention Committee (MSFA) is holding quarterly in-services and hosting Risk Watch events throughout the county

Prince George ’s Fire Department is working with four Elementary and Middle schools

St. Mary’s is using Risk Watch modules in Private Middle School

RISK WATCH® gives children, their families, and their teachers the skills and knowledge they need to create safer homes and communities. The RISK WATCH® Curriculum divided into five age-appropriate teaching modules: pre-k/kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-4, grades 5-6, and grades 7-8. RISK WATCH® Modules found in each age group binder are: fire and burn prevention, motor vehicle safety, bike and pedestrian safety, water safety, poison prevention, falls prevention, choking, suffocation and strangulation prevention, and firearms injury prevention. The program is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association. More information can be found on their website at www.riskwatch.org.

Updated June 2006