At EIRMC, we know your little ones mean the world to you, and you can't wait to show them the world! But, we also know that automobile accidents can happen. We want to make sure that you have all your bases covered, should something happen during your child's travels.
What would you do if your young child was in an automobile accident and the driver was seriously injured”unable to talk or respond to emergency personnel?
In 2002, 63,000 children under the age of four found themselves in this similar situation. The crashes happened while parents, grandparents, neighbors and babysitters were behind the wheel. While these adults are usually trusting hands for an infant, sometimes the force and nature of an accident can leave them unresponsive to first responders. Without an adult, the child is very hard to identify.
Our solution: The WHALE Program.
WHALE is an identification program started by Virginia child caregiver, Connie Day, in the 90's. She too wondered what would happen if children couldn't be identified in the event of a car crash. The WHALE Program, an acronym for “We Have A Little Emergency,” is now recognized in 34 states by emergency personnel. The WHALE Kit is your tool to help in those “little” emergencies.
Contents of the WHALE Kit:
WHALE Information Card and Holder — Information to be filled out includes child's name, date of birth, medical history and emergency contacts. In addition, a photo of the child can be attached. Once filled out, the card and card holder should be fastened to the back of the child's car seat”ensuring it cannot be viewed from outside the car.
Two WHALE Safety Seat Stickers — These are to be placed on both sides of the car seat to let emergency personnel know to look for child's information. The sticker is of the WHALE logo.
Two WHALE Vehicle Window Stickers — These logo'ed stickers are to be placed on the lower rear corner of the vehicle's side widows. These also inform emergency responders that occupants in the car participate in the WHALE program.
While WHALE is a simple idea, it can help your child in a time of true chaos. Sometimes, just knowing the child's name can help rescuers comfort the frightened.
Young children don't always know their names, address, phone numbers or relatives contact information. Please consider adding the WHALE sticker to your child's safety seat so that, in an emergency, first responders will know who your child is and how to contact someone in your family.
For more information, or to request a WHALE Kit from EIRMC, contact us at EIMC.WhaleProgram@HCAhealthcare.com. The WHALE program is a part of the Idaho Transportation Department Office of Highway Safety.