4/18/01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Donna Thompson, NPPS project director, (319) 273-2416
Vicki Grimes, University Marketing and Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- April 23-27 is National Playground Safety Week. The week, sponsored by the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) located at the University of Northern Iowa, encourages adults nationwide to take an active role in making all playgrounds safe for children.
This year, the week will be highlighted by the U.S. Playground Summit, Monday, April 23, at the West Marriott Hotel, 1250 74th St., West Des Moines. Over 120 top officials from education, public health, human services, and natural resource departments of all 50 states are expected to attend the one day summit, according to Donna Thompson, NPPS project director and UNI professor of physical education. UNI President Robert Koob and Director of the School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services Christopher Edginton, will be among UNI attendees at the summit.
Summit presenters will include: keynote speaker Christine Branche, Director of Unintentional Injury Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention, and an epidemiologist; Deborah Tinsworth, health statistician and Children's Hazards Program Coordinator for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; Lester Chuck, retired facilities director of the Hawaii Department of Education; Debbie Sampson, State of Indiana child care licensing consultant and an NPPS board member; ViJay Ramnarian, architectural consultant for facilities and safety, Virginia Department of Education; and Sharon Mays, NPPS board member and field specialist, Iowa State Extension Service.
Thompson said this year's summit has five key objectives: identify public officials in each state that can champion the cause of playground safety; disseminate the "National Action Plan for the Prevention of Playground Injuries" and other NPPS materials to state officials; review implementation steps used by states to promote playground safety; discuss various advocacy models used by states to promote playground safety; and provide networking opportunities among and between state officials and NPPS.
Thompson said National Playground Safety Week is observed by numerous schools and organizations in all 50 states, but it is up to each state to proclaim official observation of the week. Participation has grown from two states in 1997 to 42 in 2000, and NPPS hopes for 44 this year.
According to statistics compiled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 200,000 children are injured on playgrounds in the U.S. every year. The NPPS is dedicated to reducing injuries by providing playground design and planning consultation, playground supervision training and certification, and national evaluation of public playgrounds.
The program developed the SAFE model, which encourages safety compliance in four key areas: Supervision, Age-appropriate design, Fall surfacing and Equipment and surfacing maintenance. This year, NPPS introduced a booklet for playground designers and facility directors entitled "Selecting Playground Surface Materials."
The NPPS, headquartered at the University of Northern Iowa, was founded in 1995 and is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Injury Prevention. For more information, see the NPPS Web site at www.uni.edu/playground or call 1-800-554-PLAY(7529).
###