BISMARCK, ND ( KXNET ) — Sanford Health and Safe Kids Bismarck-Mandan invited people of all ages to come out to the Capitol on Friday, August 9, to enjoy many fun-filled activities at their third annual “Safety Day” event.

“Childhood injuries are easily preventable and childhood deaths from injury are easily preventable,” said Safe Kids Coordinator Alyssa Preszler, who notes that over 300 families came to this years event. “Our goal is to teach kids good safe habits that they can take into adulthood to prevent serious injuries and deaths.”

Justin Muth and his wife brought their children to Safety Day so they could learn basic first aid, including how to treat cuts and bruises. “We wanted to bring them out to have a nice fun afternoon day and learn some safety tips,” he states.

Nathaniel Wisbey came with his family from Mandan, and was shown how to treat minor cuts. “I learned how to stop a wound from bleeding,” he notes, “and it could help me by helping my family if they ever get injured.”

“We can teach kids as young as 2 years old how to stop a bleeding wound,” said Shawn Morlock, who works as a nurse at CHI St. Alexius Health in Bismarck. She was one of the instructors showing kids how to apply pressure to a wound.

“They’re always out playing and you never know where they’re going to be when somebody gets hurt,” Morlock adds. He continues on to say that learning basic first aid skills at a young age will help kids to know what to do if they or someone they know should happen to injure themselves.

Muth says he believes that children are never too young to learn first aid — as those skills might be needed when they least expect it. “You never know when you’re going to need an extra hand in the house,” he states, “and it’s always good to know first aid and any kind of tricks that could help.”

At another learning station, certified instructors used resuscitation manikins to give kids
hands-on CPR training, a vital skill they may need to use to save someone’s life.

“I think all these skills are really important to learn,” concludes Morlock, “because kids are smart and they catch on quickly. It’s great to have everything in one place where they can go from booth to booth and learn a whole new set of skills.”

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Today's Top Stories

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KX NEWS.