American Red Cross Partners With Safety4kids To Debut Children's Fire Safety DVD

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 16 Jan 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The American Red Cross and Safety4Kids, LLC have joined to release the groundbreaking new children's safety and entertainment DVD entitled SeeMore's Playhouse: Fire Safety. Fire Safety marks the first time Red Cross fire safety expertise will be incorporated into programming designed to teach children how to prepare for and prevent fires in an educational and entertaining way.

The DVD launch reinforces the goal of the alliance between the Red Cross and Safety4Kids to continually educate children on the importance of safety, through on- and off-air initiatives. Fire Safety is the first of four children's DVDs the organizations have slated for release in 2008. In the episode "I'm Bigger Than You" children will learn how families can help to prevent fires and the importance of having a family escape plan in case a fire happens. This fun-filled episode makes learning fire safety easy for preschoolers through amusing puppets, jokes and memorable songs.

The Red Cross and Safety4Kids chose fire safety as their first DVD project in response to startling new statistics on the dangers of children and fire. According to the U.S. Fire Administration and National Fire Protection Association, each year, roughly 300 people die in fires attributed to children playing with fire; with two out of three fires of these types caused by children playing with matches or lighters. What's more, children under the age of five are twice as likely to die in a home fire as the rest of the US population.

"SeeMore's Playhouse is a wonderful platform to talk to children about safety and preparedness," said Darlene Sparks Washington, American Red Cross director of preparedness. "By keeping it entertaining and fun, we help children learn about lifesaving information in an environment that appeals to them specifically. We are so grateful to Safety4Kids for providing us with this amazing public education opportunity and for supporting the work of the Red Cross."

The two-time Emmy winning program SeeMore's Playhouse is a first-of-its-kind public television series designed to entertain preschool children while teaching them the vital basics of safety through puppetry, animation, live action and original music. The program stars SeeMore the Safety Seal and his colorful friends teaching children a variety of safety and wellness lessons. In each episode SeeMore and his pals are joined by their Hollywood friends for the always hilarious "Knock-Knock! Joke Time," featuring cameo appearances by stars including Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet Member Bradley Whitford, Kevin Bacon, Heather Graham, Tim Daly, Camryn Manheim, Fran Drescher, Gilbert Gottfried and Jill Scott. In its second season, SeeMore's Playhouse is co-produced by Safety4Kids and King Features Syndicate and airs on PBS affiliates nationwide and in Spanish on Fox's National Geographic Latin America.

"To be effective, we must teach children in a way that is entertaining and easy to understand, which will inspire them to make safer choices in their day to day lives" said Tom Blair, President of Safety4Kids. "Together with the Red Cross we can make certain that parents everywhere are provided with the information they need to talk to their children about life-saving prevention."

As a bonus, the SeeMore's Playhouse: Fire Safety DVD features an additional episode, "Sweet and Sour," which helps children learn proper dental health and includes extra fun and catchy music videos. Children learn valuable safety lessons while singing along to songs like "Danger Danger Don't Touch!" demonstrating household safety; "Buckle Up" teaching car safety, "Safe Walkers" showing how to cross the street safely; and "Sunshine Sunscreen" on how to be safe out in the sun. The DVD will also include informative safety tips from Parenting magazine on childproofing your home.

SeeMore's Playhouse: Fire Safety will be available through many local Red Cross chapters, the Red Cross store, Target.com, Borders Books, Amazon, Publix, Rite Aid and many other retailers. Five percent of the purchase price of the DVD will support the programs and services of the American Red Cross.

For more information on Red Cross fire safety visit http://www.redcross.org. To learn more about SeeMore's Playhouse, including where to find the show in your area and to watch a clip of the fire safety DVD, visit www.seemoresplayhouse.com. Contact your local Red Cross chapter regarding programs in your area designed to teach children how to be safer and better prepared.

Safety4Kids is recognized as the first children's media brand focused solely on safety and wellness. S4K has sold over 2 million home videos featuring "SeeMore The Safety Seal™" and produces the multi-Emmy® award-winning public television series SeeMore's Playhouse™, which is distributed by American Public Television. With world-class corporate and alliance partnerships, Safety4Kids is providing children all over the world with the knowledge to make safety a key part of their every day lives.

http://www.Safety4Kids.com.

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.

American Red Cross