Just For Kids
Bike Safety/Theft Prevention
Using The Telephone To Call For Help
Stranger Danger
Separation From Parents
When Someone Knocks or Calls
Bullies
Guns and Other Weapons
Getting Ready for Bad Weather
Bike Safety/Theft Prevention
- Always lock your bicycle.
- If your bicycle is at home, keep it in a locked garage, basement or room, not in the yard or driveway.
- Lock your bicycle by placing a chain or cable through both wheels, the frame and around a stationary object. If you use a bicycle rack, place the chain or cable through one wheel and the frame.
- Use a high quality lock and case-hardened chain or cable to lock your bike.
- Record the serial number of your bicycle and keep it, along with the sales receipt.
- Register your bicycle with City Hall. Call (309) 454-9523 for more information.
Do:
- Ride with traffic. Keep to the right of the road.
- Obey all traffic regulations.
- Use proper hand signals for turning or stopping.
- Stop and look both ways in order to make sure that sidewalks or streets are clear before entering a street.
- Walk your bicycle across busy streets at corners or crosswalks.
- Use proper headlights and red tail light or reflector when riding at night.
Don't
- Show off. Keep your hands on the handlebars.
- Zigzag, race or stunt-ride in traffic.
- Hitch rides on trucks or cars.
Using The Telephone To Call For Help
Q. Who can help you if you get hurt
A. A trusted adult (Mom, Dad, teacher, police officer, etc.).
Q. If grown-ups get hurt, who should help them ?
A. Other grown-ups.
Q. What is an emergency ?
A. An emergency is a very big problem that kids can't handle
by themselves. For example children need grown-ups to help them
if there is a fire, or if someone gets badly hurt.
Q. What if you and your mom are the only ones at home.
Mom falls down the stairs and isn't saying anything.
What is the special phone number you can use to call for help ?
A. 9-1-1 or " 0 " (operator) is the special telephone
number you can call if there is an emergency. But you should call
it only in an emergency. It will bring the police, a fire truck,
or an ambulance.
Q. Is it okay for you to dial 9-1-1 ?
A. Yes, but only when there is a real emergency. If there is
an emergency, first tell a grown-up if one is around. If not, tell
an older brother or sister. If no one else is home, you can call
9-1-1 or "0" (operator) to get help.
Stranger Danger
Q. Who is a stranger ?
A. A stranger is a person whom you have never met before; a
person you may have seen before, but whom you don't know anything
about (for example, someone you've seen walking in your neighborhood);
a person whom your parents don't know well.
Q. What do strangers look like ?
A. Strangers can be men or women, young or old. They can have
any color skin. Some are tall and skinny; some are short and fat.
Some strangers are pretty and some are not so pretty. They can speak
different languages. Most strangers are nice, but some strangers
are mean. Because you don't know if someone is a good stranger or
a bad one, you should not talk to anyone you don't know.
Q. Should you ever get into a car with someone you and your
parents don't know ?
A. NO. Never accept a ride from a stranger.
Q. If a stranger tries to talk to you, what should you do
?
A. Do not talk to the person. Get away fast and tell a trusted
grown-up.
Q. Who has a secret code word with their parents ?
A. A secret code word is a word that only you and your parents
know. If there is an emergency and someone you don't know has to
pick you up from school or from a friend's house, ask that person
the secret code word. If he or she doesn't know the secret code
word, don't go. Get away and go to a grown-up you know and trust
for help.
Separation From Parents
Q. What should you do if you get lost ?
A. If you get lost outside-in a park or zoo, for example-stop
and stay where you are. You may be scared, but your Mom or Dad (or
the grown-up you were with) will come looking for you. Walking around
makes it harder for them to find you. If you see a police officer,
tell him or her you are lost and ask for help. If you get lost in
a store, stay calm and alert. Go to the cash register (the place
where you pay) and tell them your name and that you are lost. The
people who work in the store will find your Mom and Dad for you.
Stay by the cash register until Mom or Dad comes. Don't
leave the building.
Q. Do you know your Mom's and Dad's first and last names ?
Do you know your address and phone number by heart ?
A. If you don't know these answers, practice them with your parents.
When Someone Knocks or Calls
Q. Who is a stranger ?
A. A stranger is a person you have never met before; a person
you may have seen before, but whom you don't know anything about
(for example, someone you've seen walking in your neighborhood);
or a person whom your parents don't know well.
Q. What should you do when the doorbell rings or someone knocks
?
A. Tell an adult who is at home. If a grown-up is not a home,
do not open the door. Don't even ask who it is. Ignore the knock,
and wait for an adult who lives with you. If it's important, the
person will come back later. If a grown-up is there but is busy
(in the yard, in the shower, asleep), tell the grown-up and let
him or her answer the door. Do not open the door yourself !
Q. What should you do when the phone rings and no grown-ups
are around ?
A. This is something that each family might have their own rule
about. Ask your parent what your family's rule is. One suggestion
is to answer the phone politely. If Mom or Dad is close by, ask
the caller to wait while you get them. If an adult is not available
(in the yard, in the shower, asleep) say, "Everyone is busy. Please
call back." NEVER say that you are alone.
Bullies
Q. Is it ever okay to be mean or nasty ?
A. No. You need to treat everyone nicely-the way you want to
be treated.
Q. Should you call people names that make them feel bad ?
A. No. Name calling is not okay. Some names you think are funny
may hurt other people's feelings.
Q. What is a bully ?
A. A bully is a person who picks on you or pushes you around.
Q. What does a bully do ?
A. Bullies tease, act tough, and sometimes hurt your feelings.
Bullies try to scare you. Sometimes they push you around, hurt you,
call you mean names, or take things from you.
Guns and Other Weapons
Q. Do you ever find strange things on the playground or at
home and not know what these things are ? What should you do if
you find something that looks like a weapon (gun or knife) ?
A. There are always things around that you aren't sure about.
You should never touch or pick up anything that you have not seen
before or anything that might be unsafe. Ask a trusted grown-up
if you can touch these things. Always tell a grown-up right away
if you find
something that looks like a weapon or something you're not sure
about.
Q. How can you tell whether a gun you see is real or a toy
?
A. Often you can't tell if a gun is real or a toy. If it looks
like a gun, treat it as if it were real and move away from it as
quickly as possible. Tell a grown-up.
Q. If you find a gun or other weapon what do you do ?
A. Stop. Don't touch. Leave the area. Tell a trusted grown-up.
Getting Ready for Bad Weather
- If the weather looks bad, listen to the radio or television for a forecast.
- Have on hand a battery operated radio and extra batteries
- Keep a supply of canned and ready-to-eat foods and bottled water.
- Keep emergency supplies handy.
If a tornado comes...
- Go to the basement or interior room or hallway on the bottom floor of your house.
- Get under a table
- Cover your head
- Stay away from windows